Why is is called PLASTIC surgery?

[charliecat]

Did it start of with adding plastic or something?

because you end up looking like plastic !?

well yeah, that was my first thought..but surely not LOL

Plastic surgery is a general term for operative manual and instrumental treatment which is performed for functional or aesthetic reasons. The word "plastic" derives from the Greek plastikos meaning to mould or to shape; its use here is not connected with modern plastics.

from Wikipedia

\link{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_surgery\link here}

Loyus, you beat me...I have it all in my mouse, ready to paste and you got there before me.

ooooo well you learn something new every day ! Especially here on MN

Not Loyus, Lotos

also in ww11 (if my memory is right) there was the guinea pig club and these were a group of men how had been horrifcally injured and a surgoen called McIndoe ( i think hence the forceps for the medically knowledgable) created the first prosthetics for reconstructive surgery first i believe with metal then plastic molding. maybe that had a bearing??

ahh thank you :) Mcindoes surgery rooms are about 10 mins away from me here.
There must have been a trust or something left in his name.

I've always wondered about this too.