You’ve probably heard the terms plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery used interchangeably or thought that they meant the same thing, however plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are two different entities in the medical field. If you’ve often confused the two, you are not alone, and in today’s post, we will give you a brief outline of the differences between cosmetic and plastic surgery.
If you live in Portland, Oregon and you’re looking for a plastic or cosmetic surgeon that you can trust, look no further than The Vu Center! We offer a variety of both cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures to help you look and feel your very best. Browse our website to learn more about our Portland plastic surgeons and give us a call to schedule a consultation today!
Cosmetic Surgery
When someone mentions plastic surgery, you most likely think of breast augmentations, facelifts, and liposuction, but all of these procedures actually fall under the umbrella of cosmetic surgery. With that in mind, the biggest difference between plastic and cosmetic surgery is that cosmetic surgery is used to enhance your aesthetic appearance. Because the procedure you desire isn’t necessary to improve your health or quality of life, in most cases, cosmetic surgery is not covered by your health insurance.
Another difference that sets cosmetic surgery apart from plastic surgery is that the training for cosmetic surgery occurs after the surgeon has completed their residency. Unfortunately, there are not any residency programs that are specifically designed for those interested in cosmetic surgery. In order to become a board-certified cosmetic surgeon, the individual will have to complete the residency program that is necessary to become a board-certified surgeon, as well as an additional fellowship program that focuses exclusively on cosmetic surgery.
Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery, on the other hand, specializes in fixing defects or providing solutions to problems that are detrimental for your health. Typical plastic surgery procedures include: breast reconstruction, hand surgery, burn repair, cleft palate, and more. If you need surgery due to an injury or birth defect that compensates your quality of life, you will most likely work with a plastic surgeon to help restore normal function and appearance. For this reason, you may also hear plastic surgery referred to as reconstructive surgery.
The training process for plastic surgeons is also different than it is for cosmetic surgeons. If you decide to go into the field of plastic surgery, you will find that you have a couple different options of how to receive your certification. Similarly to cosmetic surgeons, plastic surgeons have to complete a residency program in order to become board-certified. However, board-certified plastic surgeons have the option of completing a residency that includes three years of general surgery training and three years of plastic surgery training, or they can choose to complete five-year general surgery residency program followed by a three-year plastic surgery program.
At The Vu Center, our board-certified Portland plastic surgeons offer a variety of both cosmetic and plastic surgeries to help meet your needs. Whether you’re interested in improving your appearance with cosmetic surgery or you want to improve your quality of life with reconstructive plastic surgery, we are proud to provide you with the aid that you need. Contact The Vu Center to learn more and schedule your consultation today!