In the world of plastic surgery, it is not uncommon to hear a variety of different words used to refer to doctors. This includes: plastic surgeon, cosmetic surgeon, reconstructive surgeon and aesthetic surgeon.
While these words are frequently interchanged, they do not necessarily mean the same thing. In truth, plastic surgery is a broad field, and aesthetic surgery is just one piece of the pie.
What is Plastic Surgery?
In a broad sense, plastic surgery is any procedure that molds or sculpts your body tissue. Plastic surgeons are trained to handle a wide variety of surgical procedures on all parts of the body. They are also trained to identify tissue defects and repair damaged tissue after an accident.
What is Aesthetic Surgery?
Now that you understand what plastic surgery is in a general way, it's time to look more closely at aesthetic surgery. Aesthetic surgery, or cosmetic surgery, is used to describe those surgical procedures that are focused on enhancing the appearance of a particular body part. This typically does not include reconstructive surgeries, which are medically necessary, but focuses more on elective procedures that patients want for their own body image goals.
Technically, all board-certified plastic surgeons are capable of performing aesthetic surgeries, but that does not always make them the best choice for your procedure. Instead, you should be looking for a surgeon that took the extra steps necessary to obtain crucial cosmetic training to achieve the best aesthetic results. Aesthetic surgeons receive additional practice in surgical procedures specializing in creating beautiful final results for their patients.
While there is some overlap between plastic surgeons and aesthetic surgeons, aesthetic surgery is really a small specialty within the larger plastic surgery spectrum. The best cosmetic surgeons have undergone extensive training relating to elective procedures as opposed to reconstructive surgeries. This is why it's important to ask your surgeon about what kind of training they have had relating to the procedure you want.
Request a Consultation
To learn more about aesthetic plastic surgery, contact Vanguard Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale today. We will schedule your free consultation to discuss your ultimate aesthetic wishes.