Why is cosmetic surgery referred to as “plastic” surgery?
The word “plastic” comes from the Greek word plastikos, meaning “to mold or shape.” Many of the first plastic surgeries were developed to close a difficult wound or replace tissue lost due to injury or cancer. These procedures often involved the formation of a skin flap to reshape or mold the defect so as to approximate the original shape. Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty dedicated to reconstruction of facial and body defects due to birth disorders, trauma, burns, and disease. http://www.antell-md.com/plasticsurgeryq1.html The term “Cosmetic Surgery” means medically unnecessary surgical procedures, usually, but not limited to, plastic surgery directed toward preserving beauty.
