Plastic Surgery and Total Patient Care

This information is intended to assist those who have general questions about plastic surgery. It includes information about how plastic surgery fits into medical care, how plastic surgeons are trained, and the types of cases that plastic surgeons commonly treat. Remember, each case is unique and a great deal depends upon the patient's individual circumstances. Specific questions about surgery can be best answered in a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

What Is Plastic Surgery?

Taken from the Greek word "plastikos", meaning to mold or give form, plastic surgery is the specialty of medicine dedicated to restoring and reshaping the human body. It encompasses both reconstructive surgery, which is performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by birth defects, developmental problems, injuries, infection, tumors or disease; and cosmetic surgery, which is performed to reshape or restore normal structures of the body to improve appearance and self-esteem.*

History suggests that the practice of plastic surgery has ancient roots. However, plastic surgery as a defined specialty became fully recognized during World War I. Today, scientific advances in the field allow plastic surgeons to achieve improvements in form and function thought to be impossible 10 years ago.

*Definition as adopted by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).