The History of Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery has a long history that continues to evolve to this day. Cosmetic surgery techniques were first developed by plastic surgeons in order to repair facial deformities caused by war. The wars of the 20th century resulted in damaged facial features, which greatly accelerated the advancement of plastic surgery and quickly became the starting point for cosmetic surgery.

At the end of World War I, the high number of shattered faces that were rebuilt by new cosmetic surgery procedures was recorded by the press in order to restore hope among soldiers. At the same time, plastic surgeons began to realize that cosmetic surgery procedures could also be used to enhance beauty. Over time, additional procedures were developed to include body contouring techniques such as breast augmentation, liposuction, and tummy tuck, in addition to facial surgeries.

Once reserved for only the rich and famous, cosmetic surgery was historically used to reshape society's elite. Today, cosmetic surgery is performed on a wide variety of patients from varying social classes. In 2007 alone, there were more than 11.5 million cosmetic surgery procedures performed, an increase of 50% from 2000.

Some people believe that the continuing increase in cosmetic surgery procedures has been in part to the limitless amount of plastic surgery information available on the Internet. However, you should always consult with a board certified cosmetic surgeon to make sure any information you come across on the Internet is accurate.

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