摘要
Objective To investigate the developmental history of cosmetic surgery and cosmetic medicine in China.Methods The history of cosmetic surgery and cosmetology in China was explored via a review of the literature reported across the globe and the archeological discoveries recorded in China.Results The ancient underground city of“Sanxingdui”,discovered in Guanghan,Sichuan,China,was built between 1800 and 2800 BC.Many bronze figure sculptures with decorative perforations in the earlobe area were unearthed there,making it perhaps the earliest record of cosmetic surgery practice in the world.The practice of decorative perforations in the earlobe predates the practice of nose jobs found in ancient India.The Prescriptions for Fifty-two Diseases from the Western Han Dynasty,unearthed in Mawangdui,Changsha,Hunan Province,recorded the treatment of vitiligo in traditional Chinese medicine.This might be one of the earliest records of aesthetic medicine in the world.Conclusion China is one of the earliest birthplaces of cosmetic surgery and cosmetology in the world.The practice of cosmetic medicine in China predates the practice of nasal reconstruction found in ancient India.
