Plastic surgery is a general term for operative manual and instrumental treatment which is performed for functional or aesthetic reasons. The word "plastic" derives from the Greek plastikos meaning to mould or to shape; its use here is not connected with modern plastics. Aesthetics (or esthetics) (from the Greek word αισθητική) is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty. ...

The principal areas of plastic surgery include two broad fields.

• Reconstructive surgery, including microsurgery, which focuses on undoing or masking the destructive effects of trauma, surgery or disease. Such plastic surgery may include closing defects by transplantion of tissue from other parts of the body.
• Cosmetic (or aesthetic) surgery, which most is often done to change features the patient finds unflattering. In a few cases, however, there may be medical reasons (for example, breast reduction when orthopedic problems are present).

Microsurgery is a type of surgery where an operation microscope is required in order to perform opératoire precision acts. ... In medicine, a trauma patient has suffered serious and life-threatening physical injury resulting in secondary complications such as shock, respiratory failure and death. ... A disease is any abnormal condition of the body or mind that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to the person affected or those in contact with the person. ... Breast reduction is a surgical procedure which involves the reduction in the size of breasts; it may also involve lifting of the breasts. ...

History

The history of cosmetic surgery spans back to the ancient world. The Romans were able to perform simple techniques such as repairing damaged ears. In the Middle Ages, there were techniques to restore a severed nose by attaching the arm to the face and letting a blood supply form then removing the arm from the new nose. Nevertheless, it was not until modern times that its use became commonplace. Roman or Romans has several meanings, primarily related to the Roman citizens, but also applicable to typography, math, and a commune. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Reconstructive surgery

Reconstructive surgical techniques were developed rapidly in the period after the First World War when patients with survivable but disfiguring injuries required new approaches. The English military hospitals of the period trained surgeons from the world over in these new techniques. These surgeons then returned to the Americas, the Pacific and to Europe to propagate their advances. The main advances were with flap surgery—moving tissue from one location to another with an intact blood supply. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

Common cases of reconstructive surgery are breast reconstruction for women who have had a mastectomy, facial- and contracture surgery for burn victims, closing skin- or mucosa defects after removal of tumors in the head and neck region. Breast reconstruction is the rebuilding of a breast, usually in women. ... In medicine, mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. ... The mucous membranes (or mucosa) are linings of ectodermic origin, covered in epithelium, that line various body cavities and internal organs. ...

Sex reassignment surgery for transsexual people is another example of reconstructive surgery. Sex reassignment surgery (SRS) includes the surgical procedures by which a persons physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are changed to that of the other sex. ... A transsexual (sometimes transexual) person establishes a permanent identity with the opposite gender to their assigned (usually at birth) sex. ...

Foreskin restoration for men who have undergone circumcision is sometimes performed using reconstructive surgery. Foreskin restoration is the process of restoring, via surgical or other methods, the foreskin (prepuce), usually in a circumcised male. ... Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the prepuce (foreskin). ...

There is a definite gray area between reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. For instance a "bat ear" correction is not considered cosmetic surgery, even though having prominent ears is not a debilitating or dangerous condition.

Cosmetic surgery

Many people take a dim view of cosmetic surgery, as they see it as frivolous. It does, at any rate, involve some risk (like any operation) and should therefore not be undertaken lightly. Within the US, critics of plastic surgery have noted that it is legal for any doctor (regardless of speciality) to perform plastic surgery; a practice which, critics argue, leads to poorly performed surgery. In addition, there is increasing concern about cosmetic surgeries not done in the United States, especially liposuctions performed at the Dominican Republic: while that type of surgery there is considerably cheaper, six women were reported in 2004 to have returned to the United States from the Dominican Republic with an infection after having liposuctions there, and, in 2001, a Puerto Rican woman died, in a very widely publicized case by Puerto Rican newspapers, after contracting an infection during liposuction surgery, also in the Dominican Republic. The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Despite criticism, cosmetic surgery is becoming more popular as less expensive and better techniques are being developed. There are numerous types of cosmetic surgery that can be performed. The most prevalent are listed below. Most of these types of surgery are more commonly known by their "common names." These are also listed when pertinent.

• Abdominoplasty (or "tummy tuck"): reshaping and firming of the abdomen
• Blepharoplasty (or "eyelid surgery"): Reshaping of the eyelids or the application of permanent eyeliner, including Asian blepharoplasty
• Augmentation Mammaplasty (or "breast enlargement" or "boob job"): Augmentation of the breasts
• Chemical peel: Removal of acne scars and sagging skin—not technically surgery and can be performed by a cosmetologist
• Mastopexy (or "breast lift"): Raising of sagging breasts
• Rhinoplasty (or "nose job"): Reshaping of the nose
• Otoplasty (or ear surgery): Reshaping of the ear
• Rhytidectomy (or "face lift"): Removal of wrinkles and signs of aging from the face
• Suction-Assisted Lipectomy (or liposuction): Removal of fat from the body
• Circumcision: Removal of the foreskin of the penis, esp. without any diagnosis
• Chin augmentation: Augmentation of the chin with an implant (e.g. silicone) or by sliding genioplasty of the jawbone.
• Cheek augmentation
• Collagen injections

Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a cosmetic surgery procedure to reshape and firm the abdomen. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Asian blepharoplasty is a type of plastic surgery where the skin around the eyes is reshaped. ... Breast implant diagram Silicone gel-filled breast implants Saline-filled breast implants A breast implant is a prosthesis used in cosmetic surgery to enhance the size and shape of ones breasts or to reconstruct the breast (for example, after a mastectomy, or during male-to-female sex reassignment surgery). ... The term breast can refer to the upper ventral region of the human torso. ... A cosmetologist, sometimes called beautician or beauty specialist, is someone who specializes in giving beauty treatments, usually to women. ... Rhinoplasty is a type of cosmetic surgery that is used to improve the appearance of a persons nose. ... Human nose Anatomically, a nose is a protuberance in vertebrates that houses the nostrils, or nares, which admit and expel air for respiration. ... For an alternative meaning, see ear (botany). ... Liposuction is a popular operation in plastic surgery which removes fat from certain places of the human body (typically abdomen, thighs, buttocks) by liquifying it and removing it through a hollow needle. ... Circumcision is the removal of some or all of the prepuce (foreskin). ... Chin may refer to: In the human anatomy, the chin is the lowermost part of the face. ... Genioplasty/Mentoplasty is a type of cosmetic surgery that is used to improve the appearance of a persons chin. ...

Related disciplines

• Hand surgery is not strictly a field of plastic surgery, as it is also performed by many orthopedic surgeons. However, many hand operations (such as reconstruction of injuries, replantations, rheumatoid surgery and surgery of congenital defects) are performed by plastic surgeons.
• Maxillofacial surgery (surgery involving the jaw) is not usually considered a field of plastic surgery, although there is significant overlap of techniques and operations.

Alternate meanings: Hand (disambiguation) A human left hand The hand (med. ... Maxillofacial surgery is part of a regional surgical specialty called Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. ... For other uses of the word jaws, see jaws (disambiguation). ...

Addiction to cosmetic surgery

Some people appear to become addicted to cosmetic surgery, possibly because of body dysmorphic disorder. Sufficient amounts of repeated cosmetic surgery can lead to irreversible damage to the normal body structure. However, due to the high cost of repeated cosmetic surgery, this disorder is generally one limited to the wealthy. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental disorder which involves a disturbed body image. ... Wealth usually refers to money and property. ...

See also

• Body modification
• Extreme Makeover
• Genital modification and mutilation
• Botox

Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Extreme Makeover is a television program from ABC in which individuals volunteer to receive an extensive makeover in Hollywood. ... Genital modification and genital mutilation are controversial terms. ... Botulin toxin or botox is the toxic compound produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. ...

External links

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons (http://www.plasticsurgery.org/)