Plastic surgery training encompasses a wide range of treatments designed to restore the body’s normal appearance and function, whereas cosmetic surgery training is only focused on aesthetic procedures. Nonetheless, many plastic surgeons provide cosmetic operations in their offices. You may be wondering how cosmetic surgery differs from plastic surgery.

What exactly is cosmetic surgery?

Cosmetic surgery refers to surgical operations that aim to improve one’s look, whether by changing the dimensions of the face or body, enhancing certain characteristics, or increasing symmetry.

Cosmetic operations are elective, which means that patients choose to have them done on regions of the body that do not require functional enhancement. Aesthetic concepts are taught to cosmetic surgeons, and facial cosmetic surgeons, in particular, specialize in aesthetic operations for the head, face, and neck. While fundamental surgical training is obtained during residency, the specialization of cosmetic surgery is generally developed via hands-on experience after residency.

What exactly is plastic surgery?

Plastic surgery refers to a broad range of operations that encompasses both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery. After an injury, sickness, or congenital condition, reconstructive treatments are used to restore the body’s look and function. Plastic surgery residency training consists of a variety of needed plastic and reconstructive operations, including aesthetic treatments and concepts. Plastic surgery training is often obtained during a medical residency.

Plastic surgery vs. cosmetic surgery

1. Many surgical procedures and instruments are shared by plastic and cosmetic surgery.

Plastic surgeons’ procedures for restoring the body’s look and function are frequently comparable to those employed by cosmetic surgeons to improve the body’s attractiveness. Cosmetic breast augmentation, for example, is a popular operation that is comparable to breast reconstruction after cancer, which is a key procedure in plastic surgeon training.

2. While insurance may cover plastic or reconstructive surgery, cosmetic treatments are not.

Reconstructive plastic surgery may be declared medically essential, although cosmetic surgery is almost generally optional, which means that the patient decides to undertake a procedure even if insurance companies do not normally consider it important to the patient’s health.

3. Different boards certify plastic and cosmetic surgeons.

Plastic and reconstructive surgery training is frequently obtained as part of a medical residency. Surgeons must provide documentation of their needed clinical experience following residency to be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS).

Plastic surgery board certification necessitates the following steps:

• University of Medicine
• Plastic and reconstructive surgery residency program

Post-residency fellowships provide cosmetic training. General cosmetic surgeons may be board certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS), whereas those who specializes in facial cosmetic surgery may be board certified by the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery (ABFCS), which certifies cosmetic surgeons who specialize in the head, face, and neck procedures.

Cosmetic surgery board accreditation necessitates surgical training followed by considerable, documented cosmetic surgery experience. A surgeon can become a board-certified cosmetic surgeon in one of two ways. Surgeons, for example, may begin with medical school:

• Residency in Medical School
• Primary board certification in the field of residence
• Fellowship training in cosmetic surgery or significant face cosmetic surgery expertise
• Pass the board certification test with flying colors.

Furthermore, oral and maxillofacial surgeons can become board-certified face cosmetic surgeons by taking the following steps:

• Dual degree or single degree (DDS or DMD)
• Completion of an approved oral and maxillofacial surgery residency
• Substantial face cosmetic surgery experience Board certification via the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Cosmetic surgery
• Fellowship training or extensive facial cosmetic surgery experience
• Pass the board certification test with flying colors

4. Board-certified cosmetic surgeons focus on aesthetic operations, whereas board-certified plastic surgeons may study a variety of surgery.

Board-certified cosmetic surgeons either complete a 1-2 year post-residency fellowship focusing only on cosmetic operations or demonstrate similar rigor via clinical experience. Before being able to take the board test, surgeons must execute a certain number of popular cosmetic operations to demonstrate that they are specialists in the requisite treatments.

Plastic surgery training during a medical residency entails reconstructive treatments to enhance function and restore appearances following an injury, sickness, or congenital disease. While cosmetic procedures are covered in this training, they are not the only ones; aesthetic training is only one of 12 procedures covered in the training requirements to become board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), which also includes burning reconstruction, hand surgery, and craniomaxillofacial trauma surgery. While some plastic surgeons may choose to specialize in aesthetic surgery after completing their residency, further training is not necessary for board certification.

Choose a surgeon who has expertise and training in the operation you want

When it comes to cosmetic surgery, your surgeon is the first and most important decision you will make. A licensed physician from any specialty may legally conduct cosmetic treatments, so do your research and select a surgeon who not only specializes in your preferred surgery but also has the necessary qualifications. If you want a cosmetic operation, hiring a cosmetic surgeon implies that your surgeon is focused on safely producing a good aesthetic result.

What you should look for while researching your surgeon options

The following are some of the key distinctions between Plastic Surgeons and Cosmetic Surgeons:

• Genuine Specialist Plastic Surgeons have had an extra 12 years of surgical training in aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery techniques.
• They are recognized as a Specialist by the Australian Medical Board (this elite medical qualification takes over a decade of difficult training and numerous examinations)
• In addition to utilizing FRACS (Plas) under their names or in their bios, they will have ASPS, ISAPS, ASAPS, or other similar memberships that are only accessible to genuine Plastic Surgeons.
• Most Specialists have studied at prestigious Australian universities AND have interned or volunteered with international experts in plastic surgery.
• They will have operating room privileges and admitting rights at the hospital, as opposed to simply being allowed to operate in a back room and NOT being able to accept patients.
• They typically operate with extremely skilled general anesthetists and employ fully-asleep types of anesthesia rather than twilight only (most back-room clinics are limited to utilizing ‘awake’ surgery).

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