Cosmetic Surgery and Plastic Surgery
The two terms are used interchangeably and they are not the same thing. Plastic surgery is the specialty; cosmetic surgery is a subspecialty within it. The distinction matters mainly because of what it tells you about the training of the person operating on you.
The terms are used as though they were synonyms. They are not. Plastic surgery is the broad specialty concerned with restoring and reconstructing the body; cosmetic surgery is a subspecialty within it, concerned with aesthetic enhancement. The distinction matters less as a matter of vocabulary than as a matter of who is qualified to do what.
What plastic surgery is
A specialised field of medicine concerned with reconstructing and repairing the body after physical trauma, disease or congenital difference. Its purpose is to restore both form and function — to recreate a natural appearance where one has been lost, and to restore the way the affected part works.
What cosmetic surgery is
Operations undertaken to change appearance rather than to restore lost form or function. The range runs from minimally invasive treatments such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin to major operations such as facelift, breast augmentation and abdominoplasty. It groups broadly into five areas.
Breast surgery Augmentation adds volume with implants; breast lift removes excess skin and repositions the breast; breast reduction reduces volume and the physical symptoms that go with it.
Facial contouring Rhinoplasty alters the shape and proportion of the nose; chin augmentation adds definition to the lower face; otoplasty corrects prominent ears.
Facial rejuvenation Facelift addresses laxity in the face; eyelid surgery addresses excess skin and fat around the eyes; neck lift addresses sagging in the neck; brow lift raises a heavy or descended brow.
Body contouring Abdominoplasty removes excess abdominal skin and tightens the abdominal wall; liposuction removes localised fat deposits; male breast reduction treats gynaecomastia.
Skin procedures Scar revision improves the appearance of scarring; botulinum toxin softens dynamic wrinkles by relaxing the underlying muscle; dermal fillers restore lost volume.
Certification, and why it is the part that matters
Board certification in plastic surgery follows more than six years of specialised training beyond medical school, comprehensive examinations, and a continuing education requirement thereafter. In Europe the certifying body is EBOPRAS, the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. In the United States, the equivalent sits under the American Board of Medical Specialties.
The term “cosmetic surgeon”, by contrast, is not in itself a protected qualification in most jurisdictions. A doctor from another specialty may describe themselves that way without holding board certification in plastic surgery.
Before consenting to an operation, verify the certification of the surgeon who will perform it. It is a short question to ask and it is the single most informative one available to you.
Before you act on this
Everything here is general. What applies to you depends on your anatomy, your history and what you are trying to achieve, and none of that can be assessed from a page. If a question here is yours, bring it to a consultation.