Cosmetic Surgery Pioneers

Ellen Feldman has written a fascinating article on the history of plastic surgery (“Before and After,” February/March 2004) but I was surprised to see no mention of the national organization most responsible for shaping the course of modern cosmetic surgery in the United States. Founded in 1967, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS, www.surgery.org ) was the first medical organization to recognize the importance of cosmetic surgery and offer appropriate education to qualified board-certified plastic surgeons. Liposuction was introduced to American surgeons at an ASAPS annual meeting, as were many other current procedures and techniques, and today ASAPS is widely recognized as the world’s leading organization devoted to cosmetic-surgery education and research.