We are frequently asked what Kintsugi means. It is a strange word used for a Japanese philosophy

Kintsugi is a Japanese word that represents a 15th-century art form in which broken ceramics are repaired with gold to restore and enhance their beauty. Kintsugi embodies an aesthetic principle that celebrates the life of objects and honors their history. Therefore, broken objects are repaired with gold, one of humankind's most precious metals, to beautify them and highlight their unique and irreplaceable character, rather than discarding them simply because they are broken. It is a somewhat poetic art. The scars or veins of gold in the ceramics betray their history through the evident repair. Kintsugi derives from the aesthetic philosophy of wabi-sabi, which emphasizes continuous change and the fact that nothing is permanent, both in the material world and in human experience.

The story goes that an important figure in Japanese history had his porcelain tea cup, which had been brought from China, cracked. Because of his appreciation for porcelain, he sent it to China for repair. The best Chinese artisans told him they could send him a new, even more beautiful one. The illustrious Japanese figure declined the offer, and when the Chinese artisans were unable to produce a result to his satisfaction, he asked the best Japanese artisans to repair his cup, thus giving birth to Kintsugi.

Ernest Hemingway said, “The world breaks each of us, but afterward, many of us are stronger where we were broken.”

The same applies to humans; we can paint our struggles in this life with gold and wear our scars with honor and pride. We are more beautiful because of the adversity we have overcome.

One of the pioneers of plastic surgery, Gaspare Tagliacozzi, said in the 16th century about his profession, “We repair and restore what Nature has given, but which fortune has taken away. Not to please the eye of the spectator, but to cheer up the spirit of the afflicted.”

At Kintsugi Aesthetic, we take pride in restoring beauty from the marks left by life, honoring the human face, honoring the human body, and valuing the complexities and unique character of each person with the care and kindness of a Kintsugi artist. Our patients shine with the gold of our skill in restoring hearts, faces, and bodies.