Cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery are closely related specialties, but they are not the same thing. A significant number of plastic surgeons choose to focus their practice on cosmetic surgery and, as such, the terms are often used interchangeably. But this is not technically correct. Plastic surgery is a broad field that encompasses both cosmetic (aesthetic) procedures and reconstructive procedures.
Reconstructive surgery focuses on repairing or reconstructing problems caused by congenital deformities, the removal of tumors such as cancer, trauma, or other reasons. Some other lesser-known plastic surgery procedures include carpal tunnel surgery, microsurgery, rhinoplasty, and peripheral nerve surgery.
A big problem for many people is that a cosmetic surgeon and a plastic surgeon can be confused.
But while cosmetic surgery is a type of plastic surgery, cosmetic surgeons can only perform cosmetic procedures, he explains Dr. Alan Matarasso, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).Plastic surgery is different from cosmetic surgery, which is surgery performed solely to change a person's appearance and achieve what they consider to be a more desirable appearance. Plastic surgery is a broad field that includes not only cosmetic or aesthetic surgery, but also the surgical repair of congenital deformities, such as a cleft lip and palate, post-surgical reconstruction, such as breast and head and neck defects, and the correction of post-traumatic defects. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the other major society that certifies plastic surgeons. Plastic and cosmetic surgery can include surgical, minimally invasive, or even non-surgical procedures.
And becoming a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons requires even more extensive training. Rebuilding a breast after a mastectomy is a reconstructive procedure that should only be performed by a plastic surgeon. Getting a breast lift (augmentation) is a cosmetic procedure that can be performed by a plastic surgeon or aesthetic. To find a qualified plastic surgeon for any cosmetic or reconstructive procedure, consult a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Matarasso, which only performs aesthetic procedures, treats daily patients who have had a procedure but who are not the ideal candidates for it. Myers agrees, adding that the American Board of Plastic Surgery appropriately designates board-certified plastic surgeons through the logo of the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Elective aesthetic procedures are performed by doctors from a variety of medical fields, including plastic surgeons. Plastic surgery training involves a wide range of procedures to restore the body's normal appearance and function, while cosmetic surgery training focuses exclusively on aesthetic procedures.
Most people think of cosmetic or cosmetic surgery when they hear the term plastic surgery, and these are procedures that are performed to improve a person's appearance and improve their self-esteem. Plastic surgery can often help improve a person's self-esteem, confidence, and overall quality of life. Simplistically speaking, cosmetic surgery is an elective procedure, while plastic surgery is reconstructive, but the differences go beyond. Simply put, cosmetic procedures are performed to improve a person's overall appearance by remodeling and adjusting an anatomy that already exists as a way to make something more visually appealing.
