Difference Between Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery

Plastic Surgery vs Cosmetic Surgery

Surgery has been a part of the lives of affluent and average-income professionals in this planet. This type of surgery is meant to enhance their physical appearance and for their enhancement and self-confidence as well. This has been going on for years as it is already widespread and widely accepted in society. Just recently, there are some reality TV shows about this type of surgery.

When enhancement of the appearance is the topic, two words arise and are very common. These are “plastic surgery” and “cosmetic surgery.” What can be the difference?

To enlighten everyone, “plastic surgery” is the umbrella word for these terms. There are two main categories under plastic surgery. These are cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery.

The procedure becomes cosmetic surgery when the surgery only requires enhancement of appearance. In this procedure, a body part is enhanced improved but not modified. For example, a face lift is an example of cosmetic surgery. The look is still the same but the skin was improved.

Reconstructive surgery, on the other hand, is the total opposite of cosmetic surgery. In this procedure, a body part is modified to make it look better or more normal. An example of this is a cleft lip and cleft palate repair. In this procedure, both of the oral structures are being repaired not only to improve the appearance but to improve the overall functioning of the mouth.

In a recent survey done, people perceive plastic surgery as the same as reconstructive surgery in which people see it as a more complicated type of surgery that requires the expertise of a physician. Cosmetic surgery is perceived by people to be a type of surgery which is easy to perform and has less expertise than plastic surgery. But then again, this is a wrong perception because plastic surgery is the mother of these words.

Summary:

1.Plastic surgery is the umbrella term for cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.
2.Plastic surgery has two main categories: cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.
3.In cosmetic surgery, the appearance is only enhanced but not modified. In reconstructive surgery, the appearance is enhanced as well as modified or corrected.
4.Examples of cosmetic surgery is a face lift while an example of reconstructive surgery is rhinoplasty or repair of the nose.

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