The History of Plastic Surgery

While many people envision plastic surgery as being something that has emerged out of a desire for beauty, one of the main forces that drove the development of plastic surgery was the injuries that occurred during WW I. Many medical professionals devoted their lives to restoring the faces of civilians and soldiers alike and pushed forward the plastic surgery industry. Here’s information on the history of plastic surgery.

Formation of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons

Original forms of plastic surgery were very unreliable because any surgeon could claim to be a plastic surgeon. When plastic surgery was not carried out correctly, patients could experience complications that could lead to amputations and scarring. Fortunately, many surgeons who restored faces throughout WWI gathered to form the American Association of Plastic Surgeons.

Post-WWII Developments

WWII further advanced the development of plastic surgery by facilitating the development of microsurgery, skin grafts and the use of antibodies to prevent infections during the surgeries. After WWII, there was a significant drop in the number of patients who needed plastic surgery and surgeons had to market to the general population, especially middle-class middle-aged women.

What is a Lap Band?

One form of plastic surgery that has been developed to help people improve themselves is the lap band. Those who are interested in weight loss might ask the question “what is lap band surgery?” The lap band is a device that is placed around the top of the stomach and inflates. This device makes it harder for people to consume larger quantities of food, which helps facilitate weight loss.

Lap bands reduce the appetite of the patient, which helps reduce consumption. The lap bands also slow digestion, which causes patients to feel full longer and causes them to no longer want to consume food.

Choosing the Lap Band

There are numerous benefits to lap bands as opposed to stomach stapling or partial removal. The procedure is much less invasive and patients have smaller scars and shorter hospital stays. The patient will also absorb nutrients in the same way as he or she did before. The gastric bands also do not contain materials that are harmful to the human body. The surgery that places the gastric band is called a lap band procedure.