What is difference between cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery?

The procedures, techniques and principles of cosmetic surgery are completely focused on improving the patient's appearance. Improving aesthetic appeal, symmetry and proportion are the key objectives.

Cosmetic surgery

can be performed on all areas of the head, neck and body. Because cosmetic procedures treat areas that work properly, cosmetic surgery is designated as elective. Elective cosmetic procedures are performed by doctors from a variety of medical fields, including plastic surgeons.

A big problem for many people is that a cosmetic surgeon and a plastic surgeon can be confused. However, while cosmetic surgery is a type of plastic surgery, cosmetic surgeons can only perform cosmetic procedures, explains Dr. Alan Matarasso, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). There are times when cosmetic surgery is required to correct medical problems in which the patient feels severe discomfort; however, these situations are unusual and depend on the judgment of the medical professional evaluating the condition.

According to the ABPS, board-certified plastic surgeons can only operate in properly certified centers and can only perform procedures in the office for which they also have hospital privileges. A bigger problem than knowing the difference between surgeons is that many people turn to professionals who are not cosmetic surgeons to undergo cosmetic procedures. Since plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are often used interchangeably to describe procedures such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck, facelift, and rhinoplasty, many people believe that plastic surgeons and cosmetic surgeons are the same thing. There are currently no residency programs in the United States dedicated exclusively to cosmetic surgery.

Ultimately, cosmetic surgery is an investment in your body, and by choosing an experienced surgeon, you're less likely to have problems. Often, people who choose to undergo cosmetic surgery have been unhappy with a certain area of their body for some time and, finally, they decide to take steps to improve it. Getting a breast lift (augmentation) is a cosmetic procedure that can be performed by a plastic or cosmetic surgeon. Plastic surgeons are guaranteed to be trained in cosmetic surgery, general surgery and reconstructive surgery.

Medical professionals are not required to be board-certified plastic surgeons to perform complex cosmetic surgery. When considering cosmetic surgery, it's absolutely essential that you check the qualifications of your chosen surgeon. Patients who hire doctors to perform cosmetic procedures in their office or at an outpatient surgery center should ensure that the doctor is authorized to perform the same procedures at a local hospital, Jacobs explained. As cosmetic surgery is becoming more popular and, as a result, more widespread, there are several low-skilled surgeons operating in the business, many with only a basic medical degree.

Because any licensed doctor can legally perform cosmetic surgery, regardless of how you received training in cosmetic surgery, it's extremely important that you do your research when choosing a cosmetic surgeon...

Sylvia Cinnamon
Sylvia Cinnamon

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