Cosmesis is the preservation, restoration or bestowing of bodily beauty.Dorland's Medical Dictionary. 25th ed. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co.; 1995 In the medical context, it usually refers to the surgical correction of a disfiguring defect, or the cosmetic improvements made by a surgeon following incisions. Its usage is generally limited to the additional, usually minor, steps that the surgeon (who generally is operating for non-cosmetic indications) takes to improve the aesthetic appearance of the scars associated with the operation. Typical actions include removal of damaged tissue, mitigation of tension on the wound and/or using fine (thin) sutures to close the outer layer of skin.

Cosmetic surgery is the portion of plastic surgery that concerns itself with the elective improvement of cosmesis.

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