For thousands of years plastic surgery was dedicated to reconstructive surgery to re-establish function to the face and other body parts impaired by war injuries, birth defects such as a cleft palette, burns, and tumors. Surgeons learned to work with bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, and skin to repair a number of injuries, such as ruined noses, mangled ears, and broken facial bones. Of course, these repairs often resulted in bettering the patients' appearance, but that was not the goal. Plastic surgery was concerned with function above all. This continued well into the 20th century. World War I, in fact, offered more challenges to surgeons than ever before, as maiming proceeded on an unprecedented scale, with newer and more efficient weapons.

Sometime after the war, people began to develop the idea of "cosmetic" surgery, in which reviving function is not the primary aim: beauty is. Cosmetic surgery had a sluggish start. For one thing, it was considered unmentionable, and people often denied "having work done." Even today, people look at before and after pictures of movie actresses and whisper and speculate. Nevertheless, cosmetic surgery has radically increased in popularity. In a given year now, more than 10 million people will have elective cosmetic surgery!

Having cosmetic surgery can be a real boost to someone's self esteem. Even the most gorgeous people can become so preoccupied with almost imperceptible flaws that eventually that is all they look at when they look in the mirror. Fortunately, there is hardly a feature that cannot be beautified with cosmetic surgery. Stubborn fat deposits can be "tucked", scar tissue removed, cellulite melted away, and breasts lifted, augmented or reduced. The latest technology approved by the FDA even provides permanent lip implants-no more regular injections to have alluring, plump lips!

To find a plastic surgeon Chicago is a primo place to begin. Patients from all over the United States seek out the expertise of the doctors at the Liposuction and Cosmetic Surgery Institute. For decades, these doctors have been pioneers of cosmetic surgery, developing new techniques and instruments, writing textbooks, and teaching their skills to surgeons worldwide. Their love for the field of cosmetic surgery is evident.