subject: Making Sense Of Plastic Surgery [print this page] Despite the fact that a lot of people interchange the words plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery is certainly a lot bigger than just a beautifying practice. Cosmetic surgery rebuilds appearance and use as a whole, and does not only upgrade something that is already existing, but also fixes that which has been broken.
Historians suspect that plastic surgery, especially reconstructive surgery, started around 500 BC, when earlobes and noses were mended using other parts of the face such as the cheeks and the forehead. This is caused by the usual use of mutilation as a means of discipline. It was not until the late 1800's however, when the use of anesthesia was introduced and plastic surgery became even more common. The method later on became more mainstream in the modern world when those who were hurt during World War 1 needed to be fixed as a result of missing noses, ears, lips, and other body parts.
Since then, plastic surgery developed into something that was not only needed, but somewhat of a fashion statement as well. Because a lot of people think that their appearances could use some revision, there suddenly became a thin line between having the procedure as a medical urgency and as a way to look better. This is why people unknowingly interchange the terms plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery, thinking that it is the same thing.
Cosmetic surgery is actually one of the different types of plastic surgery. Also known as 'medical aesthetics', it basically aims to restore, manage or augment a person's appearance. Among the most popular cosmetic procedures are abdominoplasty or the tummy tuck, which remodels the stomach area, and the liposuction, which eliminates fat deposits via a suction method or ultrasonic energy.
Reconstructive surgery is yet another type of plastic surgery, which focuses on correcting functional impairments as a result of burns, injuries, congenital abnormalities, and other identical conditions. Some of the popular reconstructive procedures are scar repair as well as breast reduction.
Despite the fact that plastic surgery has been a great benefit in reforming the lives of several people, there still are arguments about whether the process helps a person's self-esteem, or advises people not to be comfortable with what they have. It is a matter of attitude though, and the causes why people go through the procedure may be different, but we cannot ignore the truth that plastic surgery still is among the most helpful medical procedures that was ever invented.
