Plastic surgery has progressed a lot over the past decade — both socially and scientifically. But, what will the future of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery be like? Turns out regenerative medicine could be the next big thing in the fast-moving field.

A new review article from Matthew Q. Miller of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and fellow coauthors has looked at regenerative medicine techniques in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and revealed suggested directions for future studies. The researchers looked at stem cells, growth factors, synthetic scaffolds and more. The field offers hope to patients suffering crippling disorders of the face and other body parts, in addition to those looking for anti-aging remedies.