AICPE: history and mission

Article

The Italian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (www.aicpe.org), Italy’s first Association specifically concerned with the aesthetic aspect of plastic surgery, was founded in September 2011 in view of promoting training and practice in aesthetic plastic surgery as well as exchange of knowledge among its members. With its foundation an entirely Italian gap was filled: indeed, in many European and non-European countries the Associations of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery coexist in harmony with those for reconstructive plastic surgery, each responding for its own sector, also proposing common projects.

AICPE’s main purposes are:

• promoting training and practice in aesthetic plastic surgery, in order to encourage an exchange of knowledge among qualified surgeons for the advancement of aesthetic plastic surgery;
• supporting aesthetic plastic surgery as a recognized and respected discipline;
• developing, encouraging and promoting the practice of high standards in personal, professional and ethical conduct;
• consolidating stable relationships with International Associations of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery;
• promoting a better understanding of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery among physicians and in particular general practitioners;
• promulgating to its members all the latest information on the medical profession and the results of the most current scientific research;
• providing correct information and advise all those who wish to obtain information on aesthetic plastic surgery.

In 2013, exactly 2 years after its foundation, a non-profit organization within AICPE called AICPEonlus was founded, aimed at developing and implementing humanitarian projects. Currently there are several projects in progress, the most important of which is the “Humanitarian Plastic Surgery Project in Developing Countries”, which to date ensures the presence of many members in a stable and continuous manner in hospitals in Togo, Paraguay, Guatemala and Benin. AICPEonlus has also financed welfare projects in Italy or other voluntary Associations following disasters such as the tsunami in the Philippines and the earthquake in central Italy. During the last two years, characterized by the COVID pandemic, the activity of the humanitarian missions has stopped but AICPEonlus’ activity has continued incessantly through the supply of medical materials to Italian centers. It has recently provided medical supplies to the war-torn Ukrainian population. Next July and August there will be two missions in Togo, restarting the project of humanitarian plastic surgery.

As regard training, in addition to the annual National Congress, AICPE guarantees 5 annual single-issue courses that allow members to obtain the number of training credits established by the Italian Ministry of Health.

AICPE has a quarterly online and printed magazine, AICPENews, which represents a place for virtual meetings between members, a moment of reflection, of thesis and antithesis, of insights and etc. AICPENews is open to the active participation not only of Members, but also of International Colleagues of other Scientific Societies, hosting articles, clinical case reports, together with personal considerations on our specialty and profession.

For several years AICPE has had institutional relations with the Italian Ministry of Health and participates a number of round tables on specific topics such as breast implants.

Through our web site, all Members have free access to consult 4 international online journals while the partnership with IMCAS allows us to share the scientific contents included in IMCASAcademy, which is very useful for our permanent training.

AICPE is twinned with the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), the most important cosmetic surgery society in the world, with the International Society for Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) and with the European Association of Societies of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery (EASAPS).

Finally, it is a source of pride for us, to have given our patronage to PRRS (Plastic Reconstructive & Regenerative Surgery Journal - Editors in Chief Prof. Valerio Cervelli and Prof. Benedetto Longo) with which we will begin a long and lasting scientific collaboration.