Betcha didn’t know this tidbit about plastic surgery, Jacksonville – It’s been around for some 4,000 years.  Archaeological and written evidence suggests that medical treatments for facial injuries were performed as early as 4,000 years ago, typically involving the formation of skin flaps to reshape or mold defects caused by injury or cancer. And ancient Indian physicians may have been performing skin grafts as early as 800 B.C. However, it wasn’t until the 19th and 20th centuries that the plastic surgery specialty saw major medical and scientific advancements.

In 1827, Dr. John Peter Mettauer performed America’s first cleft palate surgery using instruments he designed himself, several of which are on display at the Esther Thomas Atkinson Museum at Hampden-Sydney College where Dr. Mettauer studied. He is largely considered America’s first notable plastic surgeon. By the end of World War I, plastic surgery had been catapulted into an international specialty, as surgeons throughout America, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary treated war-weary soldiers who returned home with extensive facial and head injuries. This surge in plastic surgery’s use and acceptance in the medical field led to the founding of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (known as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons since 1999), the industry’s first professional organization. The late 1930s brought about the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which in 1941, came under the jurisdiction of the American Board of Medical Specialties and conducted exams to qualify physicians as plastic surgeons.

World War II brought another surge in plastic surgery as the now-burgeoning specialty boasted hundreds of qualified surgeons. During the 1940s, ASPRS founder Dr. Jacques Maliniac formed the Educational Foundation of ASPS, today known as the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation, which specializes in supporting plastic surgery research and education. And Dr. Gustave Aufricht founded the Journal of Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, which remains a trusted reference to this day.

The 1950s and 1960s brought numerous plastic surgery advances, as well as a growing acceptance by the public. Plastic surgeons began to appear on television, silicone was developed – originally to treat skin perfections, then used in the first breast implant device unveiled by Dr. Thomas Cronin of Houston – and in 1969, ASPS member Hal Jennings became the first plastic surgeon appointed Surgeon General of the United States by then-President Richard Nixon.

The 1990s and the advent of the publicly accessible Internet helped boost awareness of plastic surgery and its many facets of both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. But the decade also brought its first crisis. An explosive episode of “Face-to-Face with Connie Chung” detailed problems that some women experienced with silicone breast implants and eventually resulted in the FDA calling for a moratorium on the use of silicone gel breast implants in 1992. The implants were taken off the open market and made available only to women undergoing reconstruction clinical studies, and a $4 million class action lawsuit was filed against implant maker Dow Corning Corp. Studies continued and in November 2006, silicone implants were back on the market for women 22 and older.

The FDA’s approval of Botox in 2002 kicked off the explosive growth of the use of injectable treatments for wrinkles, providing a minimally invasive way to help patients regain or retain their youthful looks. During the late 1990s and through today, the ASPS and plastic surgeons nationwide have become increasingly involved in politics, medical legislation and insurance issues. In 1998, President Clinton signed into law a requirement of insurance companies to cover reconstructive breast surgeries for cancer survivors. And legislation currently is being considered to require insurers to cover craniofacial reconstructive surgeries for children. The Garcia Institute continually keeps up-to-the-minute on all the latest advancements and political issues affecting plastic surgery. Jacksonville patients can be assured they are in good hands when choosing the Garcia Institute.