What's the Difference Between a Cosmetic Surgeon and a Plastic Surgeon?

Reconstructive plastic surgery may be covered by insurance, while cosmetic plastic surgery is elective and generally not covered. The field of plastic surgery can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive procedures and cosmetic procedures. Both are generally considered to be subspecialties of plastic surgery. Many people mistakenly believe that plastic surgeons and cosmetic surgeons are the same thing. They practice related medical specialties and both can alter a person's appearance. However, a board-certified aesthetic surgeon has a different background and approach than a board-certified plastic surgeon. Plastic surgery is a broad field that encompasses both cosmetic (aesthetic) 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. That doctor may have been trained in any medical specialty and now wants to perform cosmetic surgery. It is important to understand how to recognize an experienced plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon compared to a general practitioner or skin disease doctor who offers cosmetic surgery but is not authorized by the RACS or AHPRA to call himself a plastic surgeon. But while cosmetic surgery is a type of plastic surgery, cosmetic surgeons can only perform cosmetic procedures. According to the ABPS, board-certified plastic surgeons can only operate in properly certified facilities and can only perform procedures in the office for which they also have hospital privileges. Eyelid surgery and breast reduction surgery are two cosmetic procedures that insurance can cover if the patient meets certain requirements, but insurance only covers these procedures for functional reasons, not because of a change in appearance. In North America, the United Kingdom and Australia, plastic surgery is the only formal qualification for cosmetic surgery. Any doctor, from a dermatologist to an oral surgeon, can be called a cosmetic surgeon. During this fellowship, surgeons receive extensive training in all cosmetic surgery procedures of the face, breast and body, in addition to non-surgical cosmetic treatments, performing a minimum of 300 individual cosmetic surgery procedures. Plastic surgeons use a variety of surgical techniques, including flap surgery, skin grafts and microvascular surgery. A plastic surgeon will evaluate the patient and will always use a safe dose of LA if you do anything in the office. In addition, most non-plastic surgeons who perform cosmetic surgery wanted to perform plastic surgery at some point.