The origin of the word plastic comes from the Greek language. It is derived from the term plastikos, which means to mold or shape something.

The term plastic surgery goes back nearly 200 years to 1818. This is when German doctor Carl Ferdinand von Graefe coined it to describe the process of doctors who molded or reshaped body tissues.

 Many of the first plastic surgeries were developed to close a difficult wound or replace tissue lost due to injury or cancer.

Plastic surgery is a special type of surgery that can change a person's appearance and ability to function.

Reconstructive procedures correct defects on the face or body.

Cosmetic (also called aesthetic) procedures alter a part of the body that the person is not satisfied with. 

At the initial consultation, history will be taken and a brief examination performed. We will try to understand what is most important to you. After a brief examination, we will discuss the various options for you to achieve your goals.

• Reconstructive procedures correct defects on the face or body. These include physical birth defects like cleft lips and palates and ear deformities, traumatic injuries like those from dog bites or burns, or the aftermath of disease treatments like rebuilding a woman's breast after surgery for breast cancer.

• Cosmetic (also called aesthetic) procedures alter a part of the body that the person is not satisfied with. Common cosmetic procedures include making the breasts larger (augmentation mammoplasty) or smaller (reduction mammoplasty), reshaping the nose (rhinoplasty), and removing pockets of fat from specific spots on the body (liposuction). Some cosmetic procedures aren't even surgical in the way that most people think of surgery — that is, cutting and stitching. For example, the use of special lasers to remove unwanted hair and sanding skin to improve severe scarring are two such treatments.

Each patient tolerates pain after surgery in different ways. Your surgeon will prescribe the appropriate pain medications to help minimize any discomfort. In general, most facial cosmetic operations have minimal discomfort post-operatively. Liposuction is slightly more uncomfortable, and operations that require elevation or tightening of the muscles-such as an abdominoplasty or breast augmentation can cause discomfort equal to a C-section.

You should be able to see the final results of your surgery after 3 months with minimal changes until the 6 month mark.

Plastic surgery can be performed at any point in a patient’s life. However, some cosmetic procedures cannot be performed on children and adolescents until they have reached full development.

The time a patient resumes regular exercises varies based on the operation performed. All patients are encouraged to start a slow walking routine on the second postoperative day. Regular aerobic and more vigorous activities are not allowed during the first two weeks in order to decrease the risks of bleeding, swelling, and bruising. Weight lifting and contact sports are allowed at one month in most cases.

Yes. But please make sure you tell the technician that you have breast implants and he or she will know to take an extra shot using an additional view (called the Eckland view), to be able to see around the implant. Technicians in any hospital setting will know how to do additional views.

Yes. Research indicates that breastfeeding a child after having implants poses no health threat to the child or the mother. In fact, studies have shown that there is more silicone in store-bought baby formula than there is in breast milk from women who have implants. Several studies have shown that the vast majority of women who try to breastfeed after having had breast augmentation are able to do so successfully.

There is no good data on the lifespan of breast implants. We would tell a 25 year old woman that she will need a second operation at some point in her lifetime. If you are 50, you have less to worry about with respect to implant replacement.

Pregnancy or weight loss can result in descent of the nipple below the breast fold. The degree of breast drooping or ptosis determines the appropriate operation. Moderate degrees of ptosis are often treated with an implant alone.
More significant drooping requires skin excision to elevate the nipple and areola, and much of your consultation will involve a discussion of the resulting scars on the breast.

A number of different procedures exist, with different degree of scarring. Many women ask about incisions that are limited to the areola, but there are a number of trade-offs with this approach. Sometimes the best cosmetic appearance results from the inverted -T design, the scars from which are usually quite acceptable.

It certainly can be done, but the potential for complications increases with an implant putting pressure on skin flaps sutured together. There are many opinions on how to best treat a woman who has both small breasts and breast ptosis. These options will be discussed in your consultation.

Liposuction improves localized areas of fat. The abdomen, flanks, saddle bags and inner thighs are the most commonly treated areas. If there is excess skin in an area such as the inner thighs, liposuction may not work well. If you have excess skin or a bulge of the abdomen, you may need a tummy tuck.

Definitely! More and more men are having Plastic Surgery, including tummy tucks.