Cosmetic Vs Plastic Surgery-What is the difference!
Many of us are often confused if the words cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery mean the same. They are related terms and are used interchangeably, however, they are not the same. Let us understand the difference between Cosmetic Vs Plastic Surgery.
Plastic surgery is a surgical super specialty. It encompasses both, reconstructive procedures (plastic surgery proper) and aesthetic procedures (cosmetic surgeries).
While, Cosmetic surgery focuses on improving the appearance or looks of a person, in the absence of a medical condition that would warrant surgery. Its main aim is to make its client (not patient) more aesthetically appealing, enhancing symmetry and proportions. Since Cosmetic Surgery is not medically indicated, these procedures are always elective, meaning, it depends upon the client who demands it.
Cosmetic Surgery Types:
The broad contours of cosmetic surgery include the following according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgeons:
Breast Enhancement Surgeries:
They include Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, and Breast Reduction Surgery among others.
- Breast Augmentation: This surgery is in common parlance, opted for by clients who wish to have bigger, prominent breasts than the ones they currently have. They are performed by placing silicone implants or saline implants in the breast tissue, thus improving symmetry, contour, and shape according to a woman’s needs.
- Breast Lift: Often, with aging, the fibrous tissue depletes and the proportion of fat increases. This leads to sagging of breasts with downward-facing nipples. The excessive skin is operated upon so as to have the nipple and the areola in the forward-pointing position as was in a woman’s youth.
- Breast Reduction: Contrary to the above-mentioned surgeries, breast reduction is opted for mainly due to health problems of large, heavy breasts. Accordingly, depending on the degree of functional impairment, some surgeries are covered under Medical Insurance claims. Additionally, they may have a cosmetic advantage. The breasts become more proportionate to the body size, are firmer and the skin lag is eliminated.
Facial Contouring:
These surgeries are mainly for improving the proportions of the facial structures, improve symmetry or to correct some defects (E.g. a deviated nasal septum, the partition which divides the nose into right and left halves) and include Rhinoplasty; Chin, or Cheek Enhancement Surgeries.
- Rhinoplasty: Under this surgery, there is reshaping and refinement of the person’s natural shape of the nose to be aesthetically appealing. They include reducing the size of the nose to more closely fit a patient’s facial proportions, correcting a crooked nose, augmentation rhinoplasty (to correct a depressed nasal bridge), reduction rhinoplasty (to correct a bulbous nasal bridge deformity), nose tip surgeries, etc.
2. Chin Enhancement: Popularly called genioplasty, this surgery is opted for by men in particular who want a more prominent jawline. An implant is placed under the chin bone (the lower jaw), to make the chin, neck and lower jaw features more striking. It may also be opted by for patients having a recessed chin or a double chin.
3. Cheek Enhancement: These procedures are achieved with the help of dermal fillers. With ageing, there is facial atrophy and consequently more prominent wrinkles around the nasolabial folds and cheeks. These make the cheeks look hollower. They are not surgery, per se, however, they include injecting substances which would soften the creases, smoothen the contours and help give the face a youthful appearance.
Facial Rejuvenation:
The second category of Facial surgeries includes Facelift, Eyelid Lift, Neck Lift, and Brow Lift surgeries.
- Facelift Surgery: Also known as a rhytidectomy surgery, it is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries. It improves facial features to make a person feel look younger than his actual age. With ageing, there is atrophy and loss of skin tissue, loss of skin elasticity and strength, leading to skin folds and sagging and loose skin. While it is perfectly normal, some patients may feel overly conscious about their appearance. They can explore these surgeries if their appearance affects their interpersonal or professional relationships.
- Eyelid Lift Surgery: Eyelids have the thinnest skin present anywhere in the body. Naturally, signs of ageing appear here first, compared to other body parts. Sagging or drooping eyelids may give an appearance of feeling tired, angry or upset even when the person is not so. Lower eyelid surgeries may also help in removing the puffiness, which is commonly called baggy eyes.
- Neck Contouring Surgery: These surgeries are often in combination with a chin enhancement surgery in order to tighten the loose muscles of the neck (cervicoplasty) or to remove excess fat around the neck tissue (neck liposuction). This helps to give a firmer, smoother and enhanced neck appearance.
- Brow Lift: Commonly referred to as forehead lift surgery, this surgery helps remove forehead wrinkling which would be otherwise absent in a normal relaxed person. It helps convey emotions better since a sagging forehead may communicate a tired, worried look. Besides, it would improve the self-confidence of the person.
Body Contouring:
These surgeries are the torso-equivalents of facial contouring surgeries. They include Tummy Tuck, Liposuction and surgeries for treatment of Gynecomastia.
- Tummy Tuck: This surgery helps a person to improve abdominal tone in order to achieve a flat torso or more specifically a flat abdomen. Following pregnancy, there may be stretch marks and a protruding belly. Also, in persons who have lost excess fat after exercising regularly, excess skin may project downward. Tummy Tuck surgery helps get such persons back in shape and boost their self-confidence. It is indicated mainly for loose skin or poor muscle tone, NOT excess fat.
- Liposuction: It is a widely employed procedure to remove excessive fat. The pre-requisites include a good Body Mass Index and good skin elasticity. In the case of poor skin tone, mere liposuction does not offer benefits. Excess fat near hips, chin, belly, which does not respond to exercise are ideal places to be benefitted from liposuction surgery.
- Gynecomastia Treatment: Due to genetics or intake of certain drugs (Ketoconazole for anti-fungal treatment, isoniazid for Tuberculosis, or cimetidine as an anti-acidity drug), there may be enlargement of male breasts, which are usually vestigial. In such patients, male breast reduction surgery improves long-term outcomes, including physical appearance and self-esteem. Only weight reduction is insufficient since there is a presence of glandular tissue that does not regress on its own. Surgery is a more definitive treatment option.
Skin Rejuvenation:
These techniques involve Skin Resurfacing, Botox and Filler Treatments are considered non-surgical therapies.
- Skin Resurfacing: It includes Laser therapy, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, micro-needling, and photorejuvenation. It helps in improving skin texture, treating sun damage, etc. The results are short-lasting compared to surgery. They last for about 3 months to a maximum of a year. It does not correct any facial features though but gives a skin glow.
- Botox: Botox is a synthetically manufactured botulinum toxin. It blocks signal transmission from the nerves to the muscles. This leads to relaxation of the muscles and the removal of wrinkles of the face, or those resulting from frowning or squinting (abnormal movements of the eye, leading to crossed eyes)
- Filler Treatments: As injectables, they smooth out lines around nose and mouth. They restore the volume of sunken cheeks or forehead resulting from aging. They also help in smoothening out skin creases (over lips or chin). Overall, they are a non-surgical alternative for patients not willing for surgical interventions to improve facial features.
Plastic Surgery:
Plastic surgery implies a plastic reconstructive surgery unless specified otherwise. Its goal is to correct or reconstruct facial and body defects due to birth defects (E.g. Cleft lip and cleft palate, imperforate anus, etc), burns (due to chemical or heat), trauma (motor vehicle accidents) and diseases (excision or removal of cancers of the face and breast).
Know more about Cosmetic Surgeons in India.
Its primary aim is to correct the dysfunctional area or a body part and to bring it back to its original functioning level.
Some other types of Plastic Surgery Procedures include:
- Lower Extremity Reconstruction
- Hand Surgery
- Scar Revision Surgery
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