Cosmetic Surgery vs Plastic Surgery

Do you use cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery interchangeably? Many people do, but knowing that they are not the same is essential. While both types of surgery involve improving a person's appearance, there are distinct differences between the two.

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery focuses on enhancing a person's appearance. The main goal of this type of elective surgery is to improve aesthetic appeal, symmetry, and proportion. These procedures are typically performed on healthy individuals who wish to improve their physical features. Common cosmetic surgery procedures include the following:

Breast augmentation
Liposuction
Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping)
Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery)
Rhytidectomy (facelift)
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)

Cosmetic surgery is usually not considered medically necessary and is often not covered by health insurance. In the rare case that it is covered, there is typically some therapeutic benefit to it.

Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is a specific field of medicine. It is a surgical specialty that focuses on repairing, reconstructing or replacing physical defects affecting form or function. Plastic surgery corrects dysfunctional areas of the body, which is reconstructive in nature, to improve function and, in some cases, to approximate a normal appearance. Common plastic surgery procedures include the following:

Burn repair surgery
Breast reconstruction after mastectomy
Cleft lip and palate repair
Hand surgery
Scar revision surgery
Lower extremity reconstruction

Plastic surgery is often considered medically necessary and may be covered by health insurance.

Training and Certification

Plastic surgeons must complete extensive training and obtain certification. In Canada, plastic surgeons must complete a residency program in plastic surgery, which typically takes six to eight years after medical school. They must then pass comprehensive oral and written exams to become board certified.

Cosmetic surgeons may come from various medical backgrounds, such as family medicine, plastic surgery, dermatology, or otolaryngology. Unlike plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery is not recognized as a surgical specialty therefore those who define themselves as cosmetic surgeons do not require as extensive training.

While cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery share some similarities, they have different primary focuses. Cosmetic surgery aims to enhance appearance, while plastic surgery is dedicated to correcting dysfunctional areas of the body.