Cosmetic Surgeon versus Plastic Surgeon

What's the Difference?

DEFINITIONS

A Cosmetic Surgeon is a surgeon who performs Cosmetic Surgery and a Plastic Surgeon (of course) performs Plastic Surgery. It sounds obvious, but what does this really mean?

WHAT IS PLASTIC SURGERY?

Plastic Surgery is a body of knowledge encompassing amongst other things Cosmetic Surgery. In order to become a real Board-certified Plastic Surgeon, one completes a Plastic Surgery Residency. In order to qualify to enter a Plastic Surgery Residency, one must complete at least three years of a General Surgery Residency. Many Plastic Surgery Residents have already completed a full General Surgery Residency (Five to Seven Years, depending upon the institution) or a full Orthopedic, Urologic, Otolaryngologic, or Neurosurgical Residency.

TRAINING

Most Plastic Surgeons are trained for an additional two to three years after their first Residency. This translates into total education of at least:
4 Years College
4 Years Medical School
3 Years Surgical Residency (more often 5-7 as noted above)
2 Years Plastic Surgery Residency

AREN'T ALL COSMETIC SURGEONS PLASTIC SURGEONS?

Legally any doctor can offer cosmetic surgery. Being that traditional medicine has seen an enormous decline in reimbursement, doctors from many specialities other than plastic surgery have started to perform cosmetic surgery. Now Otolaryngologists (ENT doctors), Ophthalmologists, and Plastic Surgeons (and even a few Dermatologists) perform cosmetic eyelid surgery. They do it a bit differently. It is debated as to who is the best at the actual surgery.

Residency-trained Plastic Surgeons (those that have completed a Plastic Surgery Residency) have been trained how to do Cosmetic surgery as part of that residency. Physicians trained in other specialties have had more variable training in this regard.

SO WHAT'S THE AMERICAN BOARD OF MEDICAL SPECIALISTS (ABMS)?

The ABMS is the board that oversees the training in 24 different specialties, including Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery. Board Certification (and/or Eligibility) by one of these specialties is considered by those in American medicine the mark of a quality physician.

The training imparted by training in any residency program has a great deal to do with the field in which the training occurred. In Plastic Surgery, this means a great deal, as there are many differently trained physicians performing surgery in many areas of the body.

Why Do I Mention This? Well look at the internet. You will find sites of doctors claiming to specialize in all sorts of things. What does this mean....only that they say they specialize in that thing. People can be easy prey if they believe that which they read online without checking for themselves first. 

At the present time, there is not one board in the ABMS listing with the word "Cosmetic" in it. Therefore, I would suggest to you that you should be suspicious when a surgeon presents a board qualification to you including the word "Cosmetic." Look for eligibility and/or certification in ABMS boards when you choose your surgeon. Then look to see what that residency teaches.

Check Your Surgeon Before Surgery

You as the consumer (or potential consumer) are thereby left with the choice of whom to trust with your body. With this in mind, here are a few suggestions for you....

(1) Inquire with regards to your potential surgeons training....Is he/she Board Eligible or Board Certified? By what Board? By the American Board of Plastic Surgery ? (This means he/she has completed a Plastic Surgery Residency.)

"My doctor is a member of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Isn't this just as good?"

• Well actually, no. The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is not an board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS) .
• A member of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery may have trained as a dermatologist, otolaryngologist (Head & Neck Surgeon), ophthalmologist (eye surgeon), or in another specialty. The standards for certification are not nearly as high as those of an ABMS board.
• When your doctor stands behind his/her status as a Cosmetic Surgeon consider that a red flag to ask about their specialty training. What kind of residency did he/she complete. Look for something you can verify.

A VERY IMPORTANT FINAL WORD

A very important item in your choosing a surgeon is his or her philosophy. Many surgeons are trying to race through as many operations they can in a given day. My point of contention is that you may not want "Dr Quickie." Haste is not so great when it comes to the detail work that optimizes your possible outcome.