The advancement of plastic surgery is truly amazing. There is no record of when exactly plastic surgery originated, but there is evidence that suggests that plastic surgery has been around for thousands of years. However, it became more popular around the time of World War I. After that, steady growth and miraculous leaps have been seen throughout the history. Plastic surgery continues to evolve and improve and this continued evolution has allowed millions of people to benefit from the procedures both externally and internally. From silicone breast implants, liposuction, face lift, botulinum toxin, to the very recent stem cell therapy, the options are simply limitless.



Recently introduced as a way to treat physical disorders, stem cell technique now takes on a big role in plastic surgery. Scientists are working on a stem cell technique that will allow women to grow their own natural breasts by implementing stem cells that grow as the same type of fat cells found in breast tissue. Breast implants grown from stem cells is believed to provide a safer alternative to silicone or saline implants which have been reported to cause infections. Stem cell implants are also able to better retain their original shape, as opposed to artificial implants which reduce the size as time goes by.

Stem cell therapy also enables a non-surgical approach to facial rejuvenation since stem cells can naturally and effectively repair organs. Saraf S mentioned on "Role of Stem Cells in Plastic Surgery" that the new technique of tissue engineering is expected to revolutionize various aspects in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. When used for wrinkle removal, the implants will retain their size and shape better and longer than any other allogenic implant.

It has also been reported that they have the power to self-renew and differentiate into skin and functioning hair follicles. Multipotent stem cells are said to be capable of developing into the many different cell types needed for hair growth and follicle replacement. The method could one day be used to regenerate hair on bald people or patients with severe burns.

Chiefly, stem cells are derived from the bone marrow or the blood. Stem cells can be stored at a stem cell bank for later use as well. Alternatively, there has been an ongoing research pointing to the enormous potential of using stem cells derived from liposuction in cosmetic surgery, provided that the stem cell is taken from fat before it has become a fat cell.

However, at this stage, stem cell therapy is only a bright, shiny hope that has not been fully studied and approved. There have been reports of side effects and unsuccessful treatments. To date, only a handful of treatments have been licensed, principally for treating leukemia, thalassemia, and eye and skin disorders. More and longer term studies will be needed and many questions remain to be answered.