Plastic surgery is the branch of surgery that deals with the remodeling, repair or restoration of body parts, especially by the transfer of tissue.

The word “plastic” actually derives from the Greek word plastikos, meaning to mold or shape.

Plastic surgery takes two forms, cosmetic and reconstructive. Cosmetic procedures alter a part of the body the person is not satisfied with. Such procedures can include breast reduction or augmentation, liposuction or the use of special lasers to remove unwanted hair.

Reconstructive procedures correct defects on the body including physical birth defects like cleft lips and ear deformities. There are hundreds of procedures that can take place in either category.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 11.7 million cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures took place in 2007. The overall number has increased 457 percent since collection of statistics first began in 1997.