Both cosmetic and plastic surgery is performed on areas of the body for aesthetic enhancements, and thus they’re both elective and neither are covered by insurance, except in some severe cases. Although the two areas of medicine are closely related and can be performed by the same specialist, they’re not one and the same.
If you’re wondering what the difference is between plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures, read on to learn more.
Certification
It goes without saying that whatever procedure an individual may need, only a certified aesthetician or surgeon should be consulted. However, when it comes to plastic surgery, more precautionary measures are taken by the government. Plastic surgeons cannot legally operate without being certified, whereas cosmetic surgeons can work without being certified. The medical organization that certifies plastic surgeons is known as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), while the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) certified cosmetic surgeons. To become a board-certified surgeon, the doctor in question must complete from six to eight years of regulated training, which is managed by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
Types of Surgery
Both reconstructive and cosmetic surgery are categorized under plastic surgery; however, they mostly differ in how drastic the procedure is, and thus how expensive it can be. Reconstructive plastic surgery is performed on areas of the body that may be completely deformed by infection, trauma, injury or disease. And with that said, this type of surgery usually carries more risks, and your doctor may advise you against it if it’s not medically needed. These procedures, in some severe cases, may be covered by insurance, especially when the affected areas of the body affect the patient psychologically as well as physically. This can include severe burns in exposed areas like the face, or complete constructive deformation.
On the other hand, cosmetic surgery is elective and is not covered by insurance in any case. Although this type of surgery may be reconstructive in nature, procedures are generally less invasive and carry fewer risks. In fact, the most common cosmetic procedures are only topical, including Botox injections and fillers. As demonstrated by James Christian Cosmetics, these cosmetic treatments can provide dramatic changes in a patient without the need to go under the knife. They’re also known to be much more affordable than reconstructive surgery, which is not recommended for enhancements.
That said, because reconstructive surgery is typically more severe, one major difference is also downtime. Reconstructive procedures may take months or even a year for a patient to fully recover, especially when it’s a procedure as invasive as bone lengthening or a face transplant. On the other hand, many cosmetic procedures have no downtime, while others can range from a few weeks to a couple of months for patients to be able to function as they normally would again.
Media and Risk
Although both procedures can be risky; surprisingly, negative side effects of cosmetic treatments are more common, and this is not because of the nature of the procedure. Because there’s a less strict regulation on cosmetic surgery, local spas may claim to be certified to inject patients with fillers and Botox, and of course, only botched results are yielded. On the other hand, a patient is much less likely to have undesired results if the procedure is taken care of by a certified surgeon.
New trends in the media promoting the use of lip injections are primarily the culprit of why so many individuals seek more affordable options and end up seeking non-certified cosmeticians to get the job done. If you’re interested in cosmetic injections, make sure you opt for clinics and certified practitioners and steer clear from untrusted aestheticians. Furthermore, even in the event that a non-certified practitioner is able to provide good service, they still do not have the experience to recommend the right treatment for patients.
For instance, a board-certified cosmetic surgeon would turn down requests that may negatively affect patients in the long run and would avoid using dangerous fillers such as silicone injections. On top of that, patients are encouraged to ask for a documented proof of certification, seeing as some
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