- By Admin
- Plastic Surgery
- December 20, 2024
Difference Between Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery
People often use the terms plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery interchangeably — but they're not the same. While both aim to improve appearance and restore confidence, their goals, training, and purposes are different.
1. Purpose
Plastic Surgery:
Focuses on reconstruction and repair. It helps restore function and appearance after injuries, burns, birth defects, or medical conditions (like cancer surgery).
Example: Reconstructing a breast after mastectomy, repairing a cleft lip, or treating burn scars.
Cosmetic Surgery:
Focuses purely on enhancing appearance. It's an elective choice to improve features and proportions for aesthetic balance.
Example: Facelift, liposuction, rhinoplasty (nose job), or breast augmentation.
2. Training & Qualification
Plastic Surgeons:
Must complete MCh or DNB in Plastic Surgery after general surgery training. They are specialists trained in both reconstructive and aesthetic (cosmetic) procedures.
Cosmetic Surgeons:
May come from various medical fields (like dermatology or ENT), but not all have surgical training.
Always verify that your surgeon is board-certified in Plastic Surgery if you're opting for surgical aesthetic procedures.
3. Insurance Coverage
Plastic Surgery: Often covered by insurance because it treats medical conditions or restores function.
Cosmetic Surgery: Usually not covered, since it's elective and performed for aesthetic improvement.
4. Examples
Plastic Surgery: Burn reconstruction, cleft lip repair, hand injury repair, post-cancer reconstruction
Cosmetic Surgery: Liposuction, rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, facelift, Botox, fillers
Key Takeaway:
Plastic surgery heals. Cosmetic surgery enhances.
At Yaazh's Aesthetics, Chennai, Dr. Abiramie combines both reconstructive skill and artistic precision to deliver results that are safe, natural, and confidence-boosting.
