Plastic Surgery vs Cosmetic Surgery
22/06/2010 16:30 Filed in: Plastic Surgery
What is the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery? A plastic surgeon is a definite term which is defined very clearly, as a surgeon who is on the specialist register of the General Medical Council of plastic surgery. Anyone can claim themselves to be a cosmetic surgeon, however, and there are no regulations to prevent anyone from setting themselves up as a cosmetic surgeon.
Plastic surgeons are trained very differently to cosmetic surgeons, and are trained in all aspects of plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is one of the largest surgical specialties and plastic surgeons deal with conditions such as cancers of the face and mouth (head and neck cancer), Craniofacial surgery, Cleft lip and palate, Burns, Breast reconstruction, Hand surgery, Occuloplastic surgery (ie eyelid surgery), Lower limb reconstruction (usually following accidents), Brachial plexus nerve surgery (restoring movement to paralysed arms), Congenital genitourinary problems (such as hypospadias), Skin cancer, soft tissue infections, facial bone fractures and Aesthetic surgery. The last of these, Aesthetic Surgery, is also known as cosmetic surgery. Training in plastic surgery takes about 10-15 years and during this time, the plastic surgeon in training will learn to manage all the conditions above.
Mr Shoaib, the plastic surgeon at La Belle Forme, has a specialist practise in the NHS in head and neck cancer and skin cancer surgery. He treats cancers of the skin that have spread and cancers of the face and mouth. He also treats patients with injuries and plastic surgery emergencies, but on the NHS does not perform aesthetic surgery.
Plastic surgeons are trained very differently to cosmetic surgeons, and are trained in all aspects of plastic surgery. Plastic surgery is one of the largest surgical specialties and plastic surgeons deal with conditions such as cancers of the face and mouth (head and neck cancer), Craniofacial surgery, Cleft lip and palate, Burns, Breast reconstruction, Hand surgery, Occuloplastic surgery (ie eyelid surgery), Lower limb reconstruction (usually following accidents), Brachial plexus nerve surgery (restoring movement to paralysed arms), Congenital genitourinary problems (such as hypospadias), Skin cancer, soft tissue infections, facial bone fractures and Aesthetic surgery. The last of these, Aesthetic Surgery, is also known as cosmetic surgery. Training in plastic surgery takes about 10-15 years and during this time, the plastic surgeon in training will learn to manage all the conditions above.
Mr Shoaib, the plastic surgeon at La Belle Forme, has a specialist practise in the NHS in head and neck cancer and skin cancer surgery. He treats cancers of the skin that have spread and cancers of the face and mouth. He also treats patients with injuries and plastic surgery emergencies, but on the NHS does not perform aesthetic surgery.