The Edwin Smith Papyrus, acquired in Thebes in 1862 by its namesake, Edwin Smith, stands as the oldest known surgical text on trauma. Likely a military surgeon’s guide, it chronicles 48 cases of injuries, fractures, wounds, dislocations, and tumors with remarkable precision.

Sushruta of Kashi, India, revolutionized surgery with techniques detailed in the Sushruta Samhita, history’s oldest surgical text. His methods in plastic surgery, anatomy, and hygiene, including cadaver dissection and anesthesia, remain foundational to modern medical science.

Hippocrates, the “Father of Medicine,” laid the groundwork for surgical ethics and practice. Though not a plastic surgeon, his writings on wound care, anatomy, and fracture treatment influenced early reconstructive techniques, shaping principles still integral to modern plastic surgery.

Roman writer Aulus Cornelius Celsus detailed facial plastic surgery using skin grafts in De Medicina, a surgical guide for over 1,700 years. His work, alongside translations of the Sushruta Samhita into Arabic, helped spread plastic surgery techniques across Europe.

During China’s Chin Dynasty, the Jin Shu documented early plastic surgery for cleft lips, including the first recorded use of the term “harelip.” The text described the procedure, aftercare, and societal impacts, including Wei Yong’s story, whose cleft lip repair in 390 AD marked a surgical milestone.

The Chin Annals detail Wei Yang-Chi, an 18-year-old farmer, seeking cleft lip repair from the Governor of Chu’s surgeon. The procedure required strict post-operative care: 100 days of rest, a diet of thin gruel, and complete avoidance of talking or smiling.

Born in 980 near Bukhara, Avicenna, the towering intellect of medieval medicine, authored The Canon of Medicine, a guide that shaped surgical principles for centuries. His detailed accounts of wound care, including methods to minimize scarring and promote healing, laid crucial groundwork for the precision required in modern plastic surgery.

Sicilian surgeons Gustav and Antonio Branca made significant strides in reconstructive surgery. Gustav advanced treatments for facial injuries with skin grafts, while Antonio described a ground-breaking nasal reconstruction using a forearm skin flap.

Ambroise Paré, a 16th-century French surgeon, revolutionized wound care and prosthetics. His innovative treatments for facial injuries and use of artificial limbs set the stage for reconstructive surgery. Paré’s compassionate approach and focus on infection prevention laid the foundation for later surgical practices.

Gaspare Tagliacozzi’s groundbreaking work, De Curtorum Chirurgia per Insitionem, published in 1597, introduced facial grafting techniques. Despite unauthorized editions and confusion over printings, its influence spread globally, later inspiring 19th-century surgeons like Van Graefe. Tagliacozzi’s pioneering work continues to shape reconstructive surgery, especially in musculoskeletal oncology.

Guillaume Dupuytren, the esteemed French surgeon, reshaped the landscape of surgery in the 19th century with his expertise in hand and connective tissue disorders. He is best known for identifying Dupuytren’s contracture—a condition where the tissue of the hand tightens and distorts. His groundbreaking work in reconstructive surgery became the foundation for future musculoskeletal treatments, influencing not only his era but generations to come. Dupuytren’s sharp clinical acumen and surgical techniques became synonymous with progress in soft tissue surgery, propelling him to the forefront of medical history​.

Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach, a German surgeon, made pioneering strides in reconstructive surgery during the early 19th century. He is credited with advancing techniques in rhinoplasty and facelifts, improving surgical outcomes for trauma victims. His work laid the foundation for modern plastic surgery, influencing generations of surgeons​.

Karl Ferdinand von Graefe’s Rhinoplastik (or Rhinoplastice in Latin) introduced the term “plastic” to the surgical field, marking the beginning of modern plastic surgery. This groundbreaking work on nasal reconstruction shaped the specialty’s future and terminology​.

A visiting ship’s surgeon repaired the cleft lip on George Hamlin, son of James Hamlin, a missionary at the Te Waimate Mission station in Northland. “At about 3 o’clock the painful operation was commenced, it did not last long it was then pinned together and tied with a silk thread round the end of the pins, a plaster was then put on which remained till the Friday following.”

Johann Zeis published Handbuch der plastischen Chirurgie, the first textbook of plastic surgery, coining the term “plastische chirurgie.” The book’s foreword was written by Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach. Zeis is also remembered for his study on dreams of the blind and for the eponymous glands of Zeis.

Having pioneered the tube pedicle flap in World War I, Sir Harold Gillies enabled staged skin grafting for facial reconstruction. His cousin, Sir Archibald McIndoe, refined the technique in World War II, applying it to severe burn injuries and focusing on rehabilitation, advancing reconstructive surgery for both function and form.

During World War II, Sir Archibald McIndoe, along with Sir Harold Gillies, Rainsford Mowlem, and John Barron, led efforts to address the surge in burn injuries among Allied airmen. These surgeons established groundbreaking techniques in reconstructive surgery and holistic patient care, particularly at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, England.

Burwood Hospital in Christchurch became New Zealand’s first plastic surgery unit, spearheaded by Joseph John Brownlee's team. It responded to wartime demands, pioneering reconstructive techniques and setting a national standard for post-trauma care.

The establishment of Plastic Surgery units in Wellington and Auckland.

Middlemore Hospital welcomed William Manchester, a visionary in plastic surgery, who would be knighted for his services to medicine in 1987.

In the 1960s, clinical microsurgery revolutionized plastic surgery, enabling surgeons to reconnect tiny blood vessels and nerves with precision. The development of high-powered magnification and fine sutures by pioneers like Harry Buncke in California, Zhong-Wei Chen in China, and Bernard O’Brien in Australia expanded the scope of reconstructive procedures initially by the replantation of amputated digits and then more elaborate reconstructions of the face and limbs.

Development of the “Free Flap” Technique: In the 1970s, the advent of the free flap technique, where tissue is transferred from one part of the body to another with its blood supply intact, revolutionized reconstructive surgery. This innovation, attributed to Harold Gillies and later refined by surgeons like Jacques Roux, greatly expanded the possibilities for complex reconstructive procedures, including for burn victims, mastectomy patients, and trauma survivors.

Drs. Arpad and Giorgio Fischer developed liposuction techniques in Europe, which became a foundational procedure in cosmetic surgery by the 1980s.

In the 1980s, mesh skin grafting revolutionized burn treatment by allowing limited donor skin to cover larger areas. This technique, which expanded skin into a mesh-like pattern, accelerated healing and significantly improved outcomes for burn and trauma patients worldwide.

In the 1990s, significant advancements in plastic and reconstructive surgery occurred in New Zealand, particularly in training and specialization. Surgeons such as Glenn Bartlett completed advanced training programs, including craniofacial and pediatric plastic surgery at leading hospitals like Middlemore and Burwood, and international institutions. These initiatives enhanced the treatment of conditions like cleft lip and palate, ear anomalies, and craniofacial abnormalities.

Fractional laser therapy was first introduced in 2004 by Dr. Rox Anderson and his team at Harvard. This innovative technique combined ablative and non-ablative laser principles to treat skin conditions with precision, leaving untreated areas between microscopic thermal zones, which allowed for faster healing and reduced downtime​.

Stem cell research in wound healing is undertaken, with an increased focus on using stem cells to enhance wound healing in reconstructive surgeries.

The integration of robotic systems in plastic surgery, offering enhanced precision in complex reconstructive procedures.

In 2015, reconstructive surgery embraced the future as bioengineered tissues redefined healing. Designed for burn victims and complex wounds, these lab-grown grafts provided skin substitutes that mimicked natural function—revolutionizing care for patients where conventional methods faltered and recovery seemed elusive.

Cosmetic surgery for teens aged 13-17 surged, with 229,000 procedures performed, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Social media drove this trend, as teens openly shared their transformations, seeking to enhance their appearance for online photos, marking a shift in societal beauty standards.

3D printing technology becomes more widely used for creating custom prosthetics and implants tailor procedures more precisely to an individual’s anatomy. This has transformed body contouring and facial reconstructive surgeries, with patients experiencing fewer complications and faster recovery.

Celebrity culture significantly shape trends and patient expectations in plastic surgery.