Plastic surgery is a procedure that is used to alter or mold a person’s body shape to make it appear different from the original. This procedure has evolved to include many modern procedures such as rhytidectomy (facelift) and rhinoplasty (altering the size and shape of the nose). In the past, plastic surgery was popular among celebrities. Today, even ordinary people decide to go for the procedure. Let’s get some fascinating facts about this procedure.
It Dates Back to the 16th Century
The documented evidence of plastic surgery dates back to the 16th Century. An Italian physician named Gaspare Tagliacozzi was experimenting on techniques that were described in an old Indian manual that had been written approximately 1000 years earlier when he successfully reconstructed a damaged patient’s nose using tissues extracted from the inner arm.
Rapid Development in Plastic Surgery
Although plastic surgery dates to many centuries ago, the most phenomenal advances in the practice were witnessed during World War I. During this period, many new weapons and explosives were used on the battlefield, and many soldiers returned home with many injuries that were new to doctors.
In response to these challenges, plastic surgery underwent a period of sustained advancement with a significant contribution by London-based surgeon Dr. Harold Gillies who is also regarded as the father of modern plastic surgery. This doctor was born in New Zealand.
Breast Augmentation Is the Most Common Type of Plastic Surgery
Since 2006, breast augmentation ranks as the most popular type of cosmetic surgery, with silicone implants being the most common. The saline implants account for 23% of breast augmentation surgeries. This procedure is popular since many women want to make uneven breasts proportional, enlarge small breasts, and refill deflated breasts after pregnancy.
There Is a Constant Increase of Men Interested in Plastic Surgery
In the years past, plastic surgery was considered a women’s affair, especially cosmetic surgery. Only 9% of plastic surgeon patients are men; 91% of these patients are women. But interestingly, the number of men seeking plastic surgery services has increased by 45% from the year 2000. These numbers are growing since more and more men are becoming aware of the importance of their appearance.
Although both genders are showing more interest in plastic surgery, the types of procedures differ. For example, a majority of women go for breast implants and rhinoplasty, while on the other hand, men are interested in eyelid surgery, liposuction, and treating protruding ears and male breasts.
