Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Reconstructive Plastic Surgery: What's the Difference?
If you’ve always thought that cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery were two separate things, you’re not alone. The professional path begins the same way, with specialization in reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery.
After completing the 5-year specialization in Reconstructive and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, some surgeons choose to dedicate themselves exclusively to cosmetic surgery, enhancing their skills with additional training. Others specialize in reconstructive methods, such as microsurgery or treatments for malformations and burns.
In 1999, the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons changed its name to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons to more clearly communicate that “cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeons belong to the same category.”
Today, an increasing number of surgeons choose to focus their expertise on cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery are closely related branches of the same specialty, but they have different scopes.
Cosmetic surgery aims to improve appearance, while reconstructive plastic surgery is intended to restore a damaged area of the body, bringing it back to normal anatomical and functional condition.
Cosmetic surgery procedures, techniques, and principles are entirely focused on improving a patient’s appearance and enhancing their aesthetic appeal. It can be performed on any area of the head, neck, and body. Since these areas function properly, cosmetic surgery is elective — the decision to undergo surgery lies entirely with the patient.
Examples of cosmetic surgery procedures include:
- Breast enhancement: augmentation, lift, reduction
- Facial contouring: rhinoplasty, chin or cheek augmentation
- Facial rejuvenation: face lift, eyelid lift, neck lift, forehead lift
- Body contouring: tummy tuck, liposuction, gynecomastia treatment
- Skin rejuvenation: laser resurfacing, botox, fillers
Reconstructive plastic surgery, on the other hand, is dedicated to repairing facial and body defects caused by malformations, trauma, burns, or disease, with the goal of restoring normal anatomical and functional condition.
