If you've always thought that cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery were the same thing, you're not alone. A significant number of plastic surgeons choose to focus their practice on cosmetic surgery and, therefore, the terms are often used interchangeably. But this is not technically correct. Cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery are closely related specialties, but they are not the same thing. Reconstructive plastic surgery may be covered by insurance, while cosmetic plastic surgery is elective and usually not covered.
Cosmetic surgery is performed to improve the overall aesthetic appearance by remodeling and adjusting the normal anatomy to make it more visually appealing. Unlike reconstructive surgery, cosmetic surgery is not considered medically necessary. Breast augmentation, breast lift, liposuction, tummy tuck (tummy tuck) and face lift are popular examples of cosmetic surgery procedures. Plastic surgery is intended to correct dysfunctional areas of the body and is, by definition, reconstructive in nature.
A bigger problem than knowing the difference between surgeons is that many people seek cosmetic procedures from professionals who are not cosmetic surgeons. In reality, there is often significant overlap between reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery, as they share many of the same underlying surgical principles. This doctor may have been trained in any medical specialty and now wants to perform cosmetic surgery. The difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon isn't the procedures they offer; instead, the difference is the surgeon's qualifications to perform those procedures.
Because of this, cosmetic surgeons primarily gain training and experience after completing their residency training. Elective cosmetic procedures are performed by doctors from a variety of medical fields, including plastic surgeons. While it may not seem like there's much difference at first, you'll find that choosing a qualified surgeon involves more than meets the eye. Because cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery have different practice objectives based on a set of specific procedures, it only follows that the training and certification process of a board-certified plastic surgeon will be very different from that of a board-certified plastic surgeon. While both cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery focus on improving the patient's body, the general philosophies that guide training, research, and goals in terms of patient outcomes are different.
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. Regardless of the plastic surgery procedure being planned, it is very important for patients to talk to their surgeon in advance about the expected aesthetic outcome to ensure that appropriate expectations are met. Because any licensed doctor can legally perform cosmetic surgery, regardless of how you received cosmetic surgery training, it's extremely important that you do your research when choosing a cosmetic surgeon. Getting a breast lift (augmentation) is a cosmetic procedure that can be performed by a plastic or cosmetic surgeon.
