Plastic surgery is a part of medicine and surgery which is concerned with the “correction” or restoration of form and function. “Plastic” is derived from the Greek word “plastikos”, meaning “to mold or shape”. “Surgery” is derived from the Greek word “kheirourgos”, from kheir – “hand” + ergon – “work.”

Plastic surgery dates back to 600 BC where the first recorded account of reconstructive plastic surgery on the living is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts. This recorded account was written by Shushruta on surgery performed on the nose, which is now known as Rhinoplasty.  The other texts write about the reconstruction of facial features, such as noses and ears, that were lost due to punishments for crimes or war.

In the first century BC, Romans, who placed a high value on beauty, performed surgeries that changed the way the body looked. Ancient Roman doctors often performed such surgeries on past gladiators whose physical features had become extremely damaged. They also removed scars, especially those on the back as they implied that a man turned his back in a battle or was whipped like a slave.

In the 1500s, plastic surgery experienced a breakthrough. Gasparo Tagliacozzi, referred as the ‘father of modern plastic surgery by some plastic surgeons, experimented with skin grafts from the upper arm and used them for nose reconstructive surgery. However, the reconstructed noses then were fragile and could fall off if a person with such a nose blew too hard. Young women whose reconstructed noses fell off could be disowned by their husbands because it suggested that they had a moral or sexual disease. Moreover, the practice was frowned upon by the Church which believed that the body was a work of God and should not be altered.

In 1794, plastic surgery reappeared when British surgeons observed an Indian bricklayer repair the nose of British cattle driver who had his nose and hand cut off as a prisoner. These surgeons imported this idea to northern Europe where its popularity grew. In 1818, Karl Ferdinand Graefe coined the term “plastic surgery” and described connected grafts in his 1818 text titled Rhinoplastik.

The 2 world wars contributed much to the advancement of plastic surgery. This is because wars meant that many faces and bodies were disfigured and needed plastic surgery to repair them. Severe injuries such as shattered jaws and blown-off noses induced the rapid advancement of techniques and experimentation in plastic surgery.

After World War 1, the surgeons who had served in World War 1 established the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, regulating the practice of plastic surgery. Eventually, they were joined by the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in 1931, and later by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1937. This marked the beginnings of plastic surgery becoming an independent specialty.

With World War 2, more advancements in plastic surgery began to emerge. This included the reconstruction of entire limbs, extensive skin grafts and increased knowledge about tissue health. After World War 2 ended, plastic surgery gained popularity in society. Since there were no more war casualties to perform on, the industry began to market its services to various groups in society, especially middle aged, middle class women whose job of raising children was mostly finished. Moreover, the individual’s fear of looking ugly helped to create a desire for plastic surgery in an attempt to prevent this.

In the 1960s, silicon breast implants gained popularity. Liquid silicon which was used to plump out legs withered by polio in World War 1 was used to increase the size of women’s breasts, especially that of show girls. However, this practice led to threatening side effects such as infections and sagging breasts by the time the woman turned 40. Eventually, advancements in silicon breast augmentation led to the silicon being offered in sacs. This popularity continued up to the 1990s, and remain popular today.

The purposes, techniques and technology used in plastic surgery has changed drastically over the years.

From the left: Liaw Ying Ling, Dionis, Henry Low Siang Leng, Joanne Tan Yong Ying, Ooi Rui Ting

History of Plastic Surgery

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Liposuction

History Procedure

Botox

History Procedure

Breast Augmentation

History Procedure

Malar Reduction

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Costs of Plastic Surgery

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Social Impacts of Plastic Surgery

'Social life' drives woman to plastic surgery Social Effects of Plastic Surgery Reconstructive Surgery Nose grown on forehead Operation Mend

- Cosmetic surgery tourism industry is now estimated to be worth around $20- 35 billion per year, 7 million patients. Source: Patients Beyond Borders
- Women made up 91 percent of all cosmetic surgery patients in the United States in 2010, with the majority being age 40-54. Patients who opt for cosmetic surgery vacations usually mirror this demographic. Source: American Society of Plastic Surgery
- Although the United States still tops the list of countries with highest number of plastic surgeries, it's closely followed by Brazil, China, India, Mexico and Japan Source: The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS).

[Via: Medical Coding]

Plastic surgery is a part of medicine and surgery which is concerned with the “correction” or restoration of form and function. “Plastic” is derived from the Greek word “plastikos”, meaning “to mold or shape”. “Surgery” is derived from the Greek word “kheirourgos”, from kheir – “hand” + ergon – “work.”

Plastic surgery dates back to 600 BC where the first recorded account of reconstructive plastic surgery on the living is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts. This recorded account was written by Shushruta on surgery performed on the nose, which is now known as Rhinoplasty.  The other texts write about the reconstruction of facial features, such as noses and ears, that were lost due to punishments for crimes or war.

In the first century BC, Romans, who placed a high value on beauty, performed surgeries that changed the way the body looked. Ancient Roman doctors often performed such surgeries on past gladiators whose physical features had become extremely damaged. They also removed scars, especially those on the back as they implied that a man turned his back in a battle or was whipped like a slave.

In the 1500s, plastic surgery experienced a breakthrough. Gasparo Tagliacozzi, referred as the ‘father of modern plastic surgery by some plastic surgeons, experimented with skin grafts from the upper arm and used them for nose reconstructive surgery. However, the reconstructed noses then were fragile and could fall off if a person with such a nose blew too hard. Young women whose reconstructed noses fell off could be disowned by their husbands because it suggested that they had a moral or sexual disease. Moreover, the practice was frowned upon by the Church which believed that the body was a work of God and should not be altered.

In 1794, plastic surgery reappeared when British surgeons observed an Indian bricklayer repair the nose of British cattle driver who had his nose and hand cut off as a prisoner. These surgeons imported this idea to northern Europe where its popularity grew. In 1818, Karl Ferdinand Graefe coined the term “plastic surgery” and described connected grafts in his 1818 text titled Rhinoplastik.

The 2 world wars contributed much to the advancement of plastic surgery. This is because wars meant that many faces and bodies were disfigured and needed plastic surgery to repair them. Severe injuries such as shattered jaws and blown-off noses induced the rapid advancement of techniques and experimentation in plastic surgery.

After World War 1, the surgeons who had served in World War 1 established the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, regulating the practice of plastic surgery. Eventually, they were joined by the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in 1931, and later by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1937. This marked the beginnings of plastic surgery becoming an independent specialty.

With World War 2, more advancements in plastic surgery began to emerge. This included the reconstruction of entire limbs, extensive skin grafts and increased knowledge about tissue health. After World War 2 ended, plastic surgery gained popularity in society. Since there were no more war casualties to perform on, the industry began to market its services to various groups in society, especially middle aged, middle class women whose job of raising children was mostly finished. Moreover, the individual’s fear of looking ugly helped to create a desire for plastic surgery in an attempt to prevent this.

In the 1960s, silicon breast implants gained popularity. Liquid silicon which was used to plump out legs withered by polio in World War 1 was used to increase the size of women’s breasts, especially that of show girls. However, this practice led to threatening side effects such as infections and sagging breasts by the time the woman turned 40. Eventually, advancements in silicon breast augmentation led to the silicon being offered in sacs. This popularity continued up to the 1990s, and remain popular today.

The purposes, techniques and technology used in plastic surgery has changed drastically over the years.