Cosmetic Surgery vs. Plastic Surgery…

Choose your Cosmetic Surgeon as you would choose any other Healthcare provider, but first consider the difference.

When considering cosmetic surgery, most people are unaware of the difference between “cosmetic” and “plastic” surgery and therefore, the surgeons trained is these areas.

It is an important decision when one selects a surgeon for any type of surgical procedure to consider education, training, years of experience, as well as previous patient results.  Understanding the difference between a cosmetic and a plastic surgeon might aid in your decision making.

Cosmetic surgery is a subspecialty that uniquely restricts itself to the enhancement of appearance through surgical, non-surgical and medical techniques. Cosmetic surgeons have been specifically trained to be concerned with maintaining normal appearance, restoring it, or enhancing it toward the patient’s aesthetic expectation while keeping the patient safe. Cosmetic surgery is a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive approach directed to all areas of the head, neck and body. Cosmetic surgery is practiced by surgeons from a variety of disciplines including board-certified general surgeons. 

Unlike cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery deals with the repair, reconstruction or replacement of physical defects of form or function involving the skin, musculoskeletal system, crainomaxillofacial structure, hand extremities, breast and trunk and external genitalia. Board certification within the American Board of Plastic Surgery is evidence a physician is competent to complete “plastic surgery”.  A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon is not necessarily competent to perform “cosmetic surgery”. 

Misconceptions exist when plastic surgeons attempt to equate the terms “plastic” and “cosmetic” in order to represent their certification in plastic surgery as evidence of their competency to perform “cosmetic” procedures.  Many plastic surgeons have experience and exposure to cosmetic surgery procedures and are capable at performing such cases.  However, contrary to many marketing efforts, a plastic surgeon does not necessarily have more “cosmetic surgery” education, training or experience than a cosmetic surgeon.  

If you understand the difference between “cosmetic” and “plastic” surgeons/surgeries, you now have all of the information you need to make an educated decision on your own.

Overall, remember that when you are to undergo a surgical procedure you should choose a surgeon trained and capable of caring for you in any situation that may arise with any surgical complication as well as provide you with the desired aesthetic cosmetic result in the end. 

Dr. Jerry Guanciale is a Board Certified General Surgeon with over 16 years of trauma and general surgery experience.  Dr. Guanciale is a Fellow of the American College of Cosmetic Surgeons. 

 

  

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Special Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.