Under the Knife – A Brief History of Plastic Surgery

We all hear a lot of terms used in plastic surgery in the media – many of them used as misleading or derogatory descriptions of the modern approach to beauty. This brief history will base itself around taking apart old misconceptions and establishing the truth on the risque yet contemporary art of aesthetic surgery.

The very first question concerning plastic surgery is usually what it should be called – cosmetic surgery, aesthetic surgery, rejuvenation surgery, reconstructive surgery and even gender reassignment surgery have all been terminology fodder for such weekly installments as The Sun and Star Magazine. Oddly enough, the most accurate term for this line of procedures is probably plain old plastic surgery. Most people regard the word “plastic” as an implication to the nature of the person receiving the procedure – that they are a cheap mock-up of natural materials. In truth, the term “plastic” being used here derives from the Greek “plastikos” meaning “to mould or shape”. Because plastic surgery has been around since about 800 B.C., it is highly improbable that “plastic” refers to the stuff coke bottles are made of. While cosmetic and aesthetic surgery are all fairly legitimate terms as well, there is no need to use them as a euphemism. “Rejuvenation surgery” should be avoided, as it is a more romantic term that could be translated as either plastic surgery or reconstructive surgery, which in truth are two separate kinds of surgery.

The very first sorts of plastic surgeries were reconstructive in nature. In mid-fifteenth century Europe, a process was described as a way “to make a new nose for one who lacks it entirely, and he dogs have devoured it,” in which skin from the back of the arm was removed and altered to resemble a new nose. For those of us who are savvy with our plastic surgery terminology, this is recognizable as early reconstructive rhinoplasty. Such surgeries did not become commonplace, and certainly not a privilege, until the 19th and 20th centuries. The first plastic surgeon in the U.S. was Dr. John Peter Mettauer, who performed the first cleft palate operation with self-designed instruments in 1827. After the World War I, reconstructive surgical techniques underwent a rapid development as patients flooded the continents with survivable but disfiguring injuries. The greatest advancements made in this time were with flap surgery, where tissue is relocated while maintaining blood supply. For the past few decades, surgeons have been able to reconnect blood vessels as small as 1-2mm in diameter because of these advancements.

Gender or sex reassignment surgery is considered reconstructive because it aids those dealing with gender identity disorder, who more often than not feel as though they were born with the wrong gender for their personality (some cases feel as though their psyche has altered genders during their lifetime). Therefore, the surgery is to help them rediscover their physical self. While the procedure is still considered somewhat taboo, it is becoming more and more of a factual awareness in such modern societies as America’s and so the procedure itself is advancing continually towards perfection.

While there is still something of a “gray area” when discerning between plastic and reconstructive surgery, there is a seriousness for this area of practice that is advancing to become a venue for many realistic solutions to a more luxurious and medically sound future. Be a part of a more accommodating America!