Eye of the Beholder: A Look at Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery - a modern fix for an old problem?  rnExcepting those few (and quite possibly nonexistent) individuals who share personality traits with Narcissus, we all have private grievances with our personal appearances - big or small, real or not. Many people look to plastic surgery as a magical, albeit expensive, fix. If beauty of the body is in the eye of the beholder, the media does a good job of giving all of us a certain prescription of sunglasses, aided by plastic surgery. Not that the media is our arch nemesis when we are the ones looking in the mirror. History provides countless quests to achieve cosmetic perfection. Today we have more options than ever before, including plastic surgery - the perfect way to get that minor face lift, that nose just the right size through rhinoplasty, and that polished sheen to your skin through laser hair removal and laser skin resurfacing.  rnIt would be unfair to not examine the more practical side of plastic surgery. Many people with body disfigurements due to birth defects or accidents have benefited from reconstructive surgery, rather than the oft publicized cosmetic procedures. It is undeniably difficult to live in a world that too often looks through warped glasses, and plastic surgery has had a great positive impact for many who would otherwise have an undeserved social disadvantage.  rnIn fact, when all is said and done, plastic surgery - and the intrepid plastic surgeons who aided in its development - has an interesting history.  rnThe phrase 'plastic surgery' is in itself at first misleading, as plastic surgery has nothing to do with plastic (synthetic materials used in implants, yes. Plastic, no.) Plastic was developed about the same time plastic surgery became a prominent modern procedure in the early 1900s, but the word plastic in plastic surgery comes from the Greek word 'plastikos', meaning to shape, or give form to.  rnIn order to discover the origins of plastic surgery, however, you have to take a look at Indian history. From the mythology of Lord Shiva, who performed the surgical feat of replacing his son's head with that of an elephant's (arguably the most impressive - and literal - face lift ever conceived of) to the surgeon Sushruta, often called the "Father of Plastic Surgery", Indian history is rich with examples of plastic surgery procedures. Sushruta himself is said to have taught his techniques at the Banaras University, and in 600 BC wrote in lurid detail of rhinoplasty and reconstructive surgery. A modified version of his rhinoplasty was kept secret for centuries before spreading from surgeon to surgeon to Egypt, Italy - across the world. (Rather ironically, the British did not learn of Indian) rhinoplasty until 1793.) A rather noble beginning for the tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and lip augmentation procedures we are familiar with today.  rnThe need for plastic surgery and the subsequent increase of plastic surgeons in the 1900s can be explained by the advance of other technologies such as moving pictures, as well as cars, planes, and other big machines that can cause devastating damage to the body in accidents.