plastic surgery comes from the Greek word plastikos which means to mold or to give form. Many of the early recorded efforts in surgery were attempts to restore normal form to body parts that had been altered due to injury. Procedures that we would classify as Plastic Surgery today were being carried out before the birth of Christ. Plastic surgical procedures fall into two major subdivisions: reconstructive and cosmetic.
Reconstructive procedures are operations carried out with the goal of restoring form and in many cases function of body parts that are abnormal due to injury, disease, or congenital defects. The repair of severe lacerations and the repair of fractures of the facial bones are common plastic surgical procedures. Use of tissue expansion and flaps and grafts to repair disfigurement due to burn injury and the transplantation of muscle from the back to a severely injured lower extremity are other common examples of reconstructive procedures carried out by plastic surgeons. The removal of skin cancers and repair of cleft lips and palates are other
reconstructive procedures which make up the majority of the work done by many plastic surgeons. Reconstructive surgery might be defined as a surgical procedure performed on abnormal parts in an attempt to restore a more normal appearance and to improve function. The primary consideration here is the fact that the procedure is carried out on abnormal parts or tissues.
Cosmetic procedures are operations done purely to enhance the appearance of body parts which fall within the normal range of appearance and function. Examples would include procedures such as face lifts, nose reshaping done only for appearance, and fat suction procedures. The desire of humans to enhance their appearance is not a recent phenomena. The ancient Egyptians used makeup quite extensively, and we can be certain they were not the first society to do so. Surgical manipulation of tissue to enhance appearance was apparently common in India in 400BC. Numerous cultures have used surgical procedures to enlarge ear lobes, lips,and to produce scars in a pattern felt to enhance attractiveness or in some cases to appear more fearsome to enemies.