Both women and men are becoming increasingly discontented with their physical appearance and are seeking cosmetic enhancements.

Today's society is obsessed with the persistent attempt to look and feel younger longer.

Commercials, advertisements and infomercials exploit the insecurities associated with aging. As the society that worships celebrities, we view beauty and perfection as a way to happiness. Cosmetic surgery has been classified by many doctors as sometimes being a beauty want rather than a health need.

"Our purpose is to make people feel more comfortable with their body and boost their self confidence," said Clayton L. Moliver, a Clear Lake plastic surgeon. "I always tell my patients that they need to have realistic expectations about their surgeries."

Many people do not realize cosmetic surgery is not just a face lift, breast augmentation, nose jobs and liposuction. People do have cosmetic surgery to prolong their beauty or youth, but there are millions of people in the world who have other needs for cosmetic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery also includes procedures such as: mole, birth mark and scar removal; breast reconstruction for women who had cancer or other problems, face reconstruction for accident victims and reconstruction of facial and body disfigurements.

Adults are not the only cosmetic surgery patients; children receive plastic surgery as well. Children who suffer from deformities, scars or disfigurements spend their whole life dreaming of being normal.

Several non-profit organizations in the United States provide plastic surgery procedures and care for children all around the world. With the help these non-profit organizations, millions of people in other countries and the United States have access to the expert medical care that can make a difference in their lives.

Fresh Start, a non-profit organization, has performed more than $7 million worth of surgical procedures for children around the world. Surgeries and procedures are performed by skilled professional surgeons in the Fresh Start Center in San Diego. Fresh Start has more than 500 community volunteers who donate their time to help with fundraisers and support administrative and medical procedures. Several medical professionals and cosmetic and dental surgeons from around the world contribute their time and skills to reform surgeries on all of the children.

"We perform surgeries for children who have been disfigured by dog bites, car or bicycle accidents, facial tumors, cleft palates, burns and several other things," said Sabine Soddemann, communication director of Fresh Start. "We help children whose insurance won't cover their surgery and families who can't afford the surgeries."

Dennis Nigro, founder and lead surgeon of Fresh Start points out that people can have different reasons for wanting cosmetic surgery, but the results can be equally healing psychologically as long as they have realistic expectations for themselves and the surgery.

"Cosmetic and reconstructive surgery can have so many beneficial effects on patients," Nigro said. "Surgery can significantly improve a person's self-worth, self-esteem and, overall, the quality of their life."

To know more about Fresh Start, visit www.freshstart.org.

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