Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic Surgery, like reconstructive surgery, has its roots in plastic surgery (coming from the Greek word "plastikos," meaning to form or mold), which is the repair, restoration, or improvement of lost, injured, or misshapen body parts. Records of plastic surgery are found as early as 800 B.C. Unlike reconstructive surgery, cosmetic surgery is performed solely for reasons of enhancing appearance. Most consider the sixteenth-century Italian Gasparo Tagliacozzi the father of plastic surgery. Tagliacozzi was a pioneer in nasal reconstruction, often repairing damage from a brawl or duel. Another pioneer was Charles C. Miller, considered the father of modern plastic surgery. Operating in the early twentieth century, Miller published numerous works on improving a person's appearance. Plastic surgery remained a small and obscure area of medicine until World War I. Trench warfare caused facial wounds so frequent and severe that special groups of doctors were formed to deal with facial injuries. Among the volunteer doctors were two Americans, Varaztad Kazanjian and Vilray Blair, who were instrumental in developing new techniques and sharing their knowledge after the war. By 1921, plastic surgeons holding both medical and dental degrees organized into the American Association of Oral and Plastic Surgeons; in 1941 the name was changed to the American Association of Plastic Surgeons. The American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons was formed in 1931, followed by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1937.