Saturday, October 25, 2008

Plastic Surgery: From India With Love

By Herbert Reich

Plastic surgery is a term which covers various techniques employed by surgeons to correct physical abnormalities and improve the appearance of the patient. This is a practice which has a very long history - it has been practiced in some form or another for thousands of years. Plastic surgery used to be an exceedingly rare practice, but has now become a very common part of our lives.

Some of the earliest documented plastic surgery dates to 2000 BC; these were typically performed to alleviate birth defects or injuries received in battle. Plastic surgery would be employed in the case of someone having lost an ear or nose or for other facial disfigurements. There was no anesthetic available at this time, so obviously this was not something undertaken lightly. There were no tummy tucks or facelifts done over the weekend don a whim.

Plastic surgery was first performed (as far as we know) in India, where it was eventually studied and adopted by British colonists. Dr. Joseph Constantine Carpue was one such surgeon. He lived in India for 20 years where he studied Indian plastic surgery techniques and took what he had learned with him back to the west. Dr. Carpue performed the western world's first known plastic surgery in 1815. The techniques of plastic surgery later came to the U.S., courtesy of Dr. John Peter Mettauer, who performed the first plastic surgery in the United States in 1827, using surgical instruments of his own design.

Plastic surgery has made great strides since then, with a variety of procedures having become common. Now that anesthesia is in use, plastic surgery has become a very common occurrence. The more common plastic surgery procedures currently performed are lip injections, breast implants, dermabrasion, liposuction and laser surgery. To eliminate stretch marks, sagging areas of the skin, excess fat or hair has several procedures available to them. Always consult with a licensed plastic surgeon before undergoing any such procedure -they can tell you which procedure is best for your situation and indeed, whether or not any procedure is warranted.

The U.S. now leads the world in plastic surgery techniques. While the techniques were originally developed in Asia, it is the United States which now can boast of the most talented professionals in the field. Within the U.S., Chicago is especially known for its plastic surgeons. If you are considering having plastic surgery, Chicago should be the first city you explore; there are a number of experienced plastic surgeons in the city, including some of the nation's best known and most respected surgeons. - 15266

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