plastic surgery - Duegemelle

eaDiNg
The first man to be treated with advanced plastic surgery was a sailor named
Walter Yeo, who in 1917 was given a skin transplant to restore a large area of his
face. Just over twenty years later, another world war gave more opportunities for
improving surgical techniques. Whole limbs were rebuilt. Reconstructive surgery has
continued to develop since then. In 2006, the first successful face transplant was
performed in France.
Cosmetic surgery has always been taken less seriously than reconstructive surgery. In
1907, the first book about cosmetic surgery was published, The Correction of Featural
Imperfections by Dr Charles Miller. The book was criticized by many surgeons,
who did not think this kind of surgery was worthy of the science of medicine. But
although the plastic surgery carried out in the world wars was reconstructive, it could
also be seen as cosmetic. Rebuilding a mouth, for example, improves the appearance
as well as making it easier to eat.
In the post-war years, cosmetic surgery became more available and more acceptable
in society. With no war to give them patients, plastic surgeons needed to increase
demand for their services elsewhere. At the same time, physical appearance
became a more important part of many people’s lives, not least in the USA. Wealthy,
middle-aged women were now the main target for surgeons.
Plastic surgery today
Plastic surgery as we know it today began to take shape in the
1960s and 1970s. Silicone, a fairly new substance in the medical
world, was increasingly used. As a result, surgeons could perform
a larger number of procedures. The popularity of cosmetic
surgery meant that surgeons got more experience, and techniques
were improved. This process continued throughout the rest of
the 20th century.
Today, plastic surgery continues to increase in popularity. In
2010, over ten billion dollars was spent on cosmetic surgery
procedures in the USA alone. Breast enlargement was the most
common procedure. Throughout the last fifty years, the USA
has been the country where cosmetic surgery is most often
performed and is most socially acceptable. Surveys have found
that most Americans would not find it embarrassing to tell
others if they had cosmetic surgery. In Sweden, one in four
women under thirty said they would consider having surgery if
it improved their appearance.
Brazil has the most operations after the USA. More surprising
perhaps, is that China is third on the list. The most popular
operation amongst the Chinese is to make the eyes appear larger.
The next most popular is to make the nose more prominent. In
the West, the typical “nose job” aims to achieve the opposite effect.
geNeral uNDerstaNDiNg
Find the answers in the text.
1. What is the text about?
2. What do we learn about plastic surgery during the First
World War?
3. What does the text say about the difference between
cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery?
4. What do we learn about plastic surgery today?
4 5
china plastic
achieve uppnå
available tillgänglig
consider överväga, tänka
sig
demand efterfrågan
elsewhere någon
annanstans
embarrassing genant
experience erfarenhet
improve förbättra
increase öka
limb lem, kroppsdel
liposuction fettsugning
opportunity möjlighet
opposite motsatt
post-war years
efterkrigstiden
procedure procedur,
ingrepp
prominent framträdande,
utskjutande
restore restaurera, laga
substance ämne
survey undersökning
target mål
wealthy välbärgad, rik
worthy värdig