Surgery

Another type of surgery which has recently flourished is plastic surgery. Evidence of the reconstruction of noses, ears, and lips can be found as early as the first century A.D., in ancient Indian medical texts. In the contemporary era, surgery to repair injuries or to treat disease, particularly cancer, continues to be the most common type of plastic surgery.

But cosmetic plastic surgery has also become popular, and procedures to make breasts larger, noses smaller, and buttocks less saggy have gained in popularity. For example, in 1992, a total of 50,175 procedures for nose reshaping were performed, and 32,607 procedures to increase the size of the breast were performed. Nearly nine out of 10 individuals who received plastic surgery in 2002 were women, but men were also recipients of facelifts, buttock lifts and so-called "tummy tucks." The popularity of cosmetic plastic surgery testifies to the public perception of surgery as a safe, predictable activity.