Plastic surgery deals with shaping and sculpting of the human body. Appropriately enough, the word "plastic" is derived from the Greek word "plastiko," which means "to mold." The initial reconstructive surgery, which was performed around 500 B.C., has been documented in the Indian Sanskrit texts, and the credit for the same goes to the great Sushruta. Byzantine physician Oribasius has also contributed in the evolution of plastic surgery through his work in the Synagogue Medicae, a medical encyclopedia. Plastic surgery was then revived in the 14th century and again later in the 18th century. During this time, anesthesia was introduced to the procedure, making it more common and less risky. John Roe, in 1891, was the first American to introduce the aesthetic approach to plastic surgery. However, it was only during and after World War I that the surgeries were further fine-tuned and became more mainstream because of necessity. During the war there were many soldiers who experienced severe head injuries. The credit of founding the American Society of Plastic Surgeons is bestowed upon Jacques Maliniac and Gustave Aufricht, who were European surgeons. Plastic surgery grew more advanced during the World War II. The procedure became speedier and more precise during this time. Since then, it has evolved to help millions of people across the globe. At the end of the twentieth century, modern aesthetic surgery celebrated its 100th birthday. Most of the modern practices used in aesthetic surgery still date back to the early 1880s and 1890s. There has been a surge in the number of aesthetic surgery patients and procedures over the years. The past two decades have shown a drastic growth in the people opting for such surgery. It is very interesting to note that with the evolution of aesthetic surgery, the entire appearance of a person can be altered, making people more acceptable to both themselves and to the world at large. |
