Body Parts Season 1: Release Date, Cast, And New Details

If you're a fan of TLC medical reality television shows, you'll find plenty of reasons to smile while watching the network's newest offering, called "Body Parts." The show will follow the difficult cases taken on by anaplastologist Allison Vest, who has mastered the art of making prosthetics for her patients. Viewers will watch as patients with missing hands, ears, and even noses receive state-of-the-art prosthetics from Vest, as a press release from Discovery stated. A sneak peek of the show follows at least four different people who have lost body parts due to a number of reasons, like a dog attack and extreme pneumonia. Vest's prosthetics are so realistic that many patients marveled over the accuracy of the skin color and hair and vein placement on the custom prosthetics.

"We can't wait to introduce Allison Vest, an endearing anaplastologist, who will have patients and viewers in tears as she transforms lives using her gifted skills in art and science to recreate missing body parts," Howard Lee, the president of TLC Streaming and Network Originals, said in a press release.

Viewers will have to wait a few months to catch the first glimpse of TLC's latest offering. As People reported, "Body Parts" will be premiering on Wednesday, April 6 at 10 p.m. on TLC. If you don't have cable, you can watch "Body Parts" on Discovery+'s website.

In the meantime, TLC has plenty of other new shows (and returning favorites!) that are sure to keep you entertained until April. "Stuck," premiering on February 16, is another medical reality television show that will follow complicated surgeries on patients who have objects lodged in their body, like a high heel through the face or an arrow through the wrist, according to a press release by Discovery. On Monday, "1,000-Lb. Best Friends" premiered on the network. The show, which is similar to "1,000-Lb. Sisters" and "My 600-Lb. Life," follows best friends Vannessa Cross and Meghan Crumpler as they embark upon their shared weight loss journey, as another press release from Discovery reports.

In the coming weeks and months, current fan-favorite television shows, like "Dr. Pimple Popper, "Doubling Down with the Derricos," and "Unexpected" will also be returning to TLC, per a Discovery press release.

Since 2013, Allison Vest has owned Mosaics Prosthetics, which is located in McKinney, Texas. Vest's LinkedIn profile also shows that she has worked in the prosthetics field for the past 17 years. In a preview clip of "Body Parts," Vest admitted that she landed in the anaplastology field almost by accident. "I'm a traditionally trained artist that exists in the medical world. ... Everyone comes through these doors feeling like something's missing, and that's what we're trying to restore here. ... The anaplastologist is the light at the end of the tunnel. Turning that mirror around is that last missing piece. When they leave here, it's like they're put together again," Vest said in the clip, according to People.

As previously mentioned, the preview clip of "Body Parts" shows the different stories of at least four unique patients who will be appearing on the show. These patients include Ari Stojsik, who is seeking an ear prosthetic; Jay Jaszkowski, who wants a nose prosthetic before he fully submerges himself in the dating pool; Victoria Mugo, who wants prosthetic hands after losing her own hands to septic shock; and Ian Bohnner, who turned to Vest to make him a prosthetic eye, per People.

For decades, actors have used prosthetics to fully transform into characters on the big screen. However, as you've already discovered, prosthetics can also completely alter the lives of people who have lost limbs and major body parts. For those with missing limbs, like arms, legs, hands, and toes, a prosthetic replacement can actually help patients do daily activities like eating, walking, and dressing with much more accuracy, as Freedom Prosthetics reported.

Before making the prosthetic body part, most likely, an expert, like Allison Vest, will create a mold of the area around the missing body part to ensure that the prosthesis will fit perfectly in the area. According to Horton's Orthotics and Prosthetics, prosthetic limbs, at least, are made from plastic polymers that actually bond together to create a prosthetic that is both durable and lightweight to ensure that it is both long-lasting and comfortable for the patient.

Lifelike facial prosthetics are created by anaplastologist who are skilled artists that can replicate a patient's skin color, vein structure, and more on a prosthetic body part. Most often, facial prosthetics are attached to the body using glue or magnets, according to the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute.