Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery: What's the Difference?
Plastic surgery is a broad field of medicine that encompasses both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Reconstructive surgery is performed to repair or reconstruct problems caused by congenital deformities, tumor removals such as cancer, trauma or other reasons. Cosmetic surgery, on the other hand, is performed to improve a person's appearance. While plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are often used interchangeably, there is a key difference between the two. Reconstructive surgery is typically considered medically necessary, while cosmetic surgery is elective. This means that insurance companies typically cover reconstructive surgery, but not cosmetic surgery. Common Cosmetic Surgery Procedures Some of the most common cosmetic surgery procedures include: Breast augmentation Breast reduction Liposuction Tummy tuck Facelift Rhinoplasty (nose job) Blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) Chin augmentation Otoplasty (ear surger...