Is Plastic surgery the same as Cosmetic surgery?

Plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are related but not exactly the same.

Plastic Surgery

• A broad medical specialty that focuses on repairing, reconstructing, or improving function and appearance of body parts.
• Includes reconstructive surgery (after accidents, burns, birth defects, cancer, etc.) and cosmetic surgery (for appearance).
• Examples:
  • Reconstructing a breast after mastectomy
  • Repairing a cleft lip or palate
  • Treating severe burn scars
  • Microsurgery for damaged nerves

Cosmetic Surgery

• A subset of plastic surgery.
• Focuses only on enhancing appearance (not medical necessity).
• Usually elective (optional) procedures.
• Examples:
  • Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty)
  • Liposuction
  • Facelift
  • Botox or fillers (non-surgical cosmetic procedures)

Key Difference:

• Plastic surgery = reconstructive + cosmetic
• Cosmetic surgery = only aesthetic (appearance-focused)

In simple terms:
All cosmetic surgeries are plastic surgeries, but not all plastic surgeries are cosmetic.