Cosmetic Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery, and Plastic Surgery: What are the Differences?

    /24-7PressRelease/ - CHICAGO, IL, May 29, 2008 - The terms plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery, and cosmetic surgery are often used interchangeably in the media and in casual conversation. However, there are some important distinctions to be made among these terms, and these distinctions are important in developing an understanding of the field of plastic surgery.

Plastic surgery

Plastic surgery is an umbrella term, describing any surgical procedure that molds and shapes your physical characteristics. The plastic in plastic surgery is often misunderstood as referring to the material plastic, but this is inaccurate. The term plastic in this case is derived from the Greek word plastikos, meaning to mold or to shape, so the term plastic in this case refers to the quality of plasticity, or something that is pliant and malleable.

In other words, plastic surgery is a type of surgery that is designed to mold and shape your body, whether for cosmetic reasons, therapeutic reasons, or some combination of the two.

The two major categories of plastic surgery are cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery.

Cosmetic surgery

Cosmetic surgery is surgery aimed toward enhancing one's appearance strictly for cosmetic reasons. This could include any number of different procedures, including implants (facial, breast, buttocks, etc.), lifts (face, eyes, body, breast, buttocks, etc.), as well as procedures to reshape your features, such as nose and ear reconstruction. In many cases, the same procedures might qualify as cosmetic or reconstructive, depending on the primary intent of the surgery.

In general, however, any plastic surgery procedure that is solely or primarily intended to improve the appearance is considered cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgery classified as cosmetic is usually not eligible for coverage by health insurance.

Reconstructive surgery

Reconstructive surgery is a type of plastic surgery that reshapes the features for therapeutic reasons rather than, or in addition to, cosmetic reasons. This might include reconstructing features to reverse the effects of illness, injury, or birth defect; or to restructure physical abnormalities to a normal appearance.

Some types of procedures frequently classified as reconstructive surgery include:
• Breast reduction for women with back or neck problems that are caused or exacerbated by oversized breasts.
• Blepharoplasty (eyelifts) for people who suffer from vision impairment as a result of sagging upper eyelids.
• Rhinoplasty to correct breathing problems, including a deviated septum.
• Breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, to restore the natural appearance of the breast before the mastectomy.

In most cases, your health insurance policy will cover reconstructive surgery, whether the procedure is designed to restore physical function, or to correct the appearance of a physical deformity. However, in some cases, it can be difficult to establish whether a procedure is done primarily for cosmetic or reconstructive purposes.

If you'd like to know more about this or any other plastic surgery topic, or if you'd like help determining whether a plastic surgery procedure you're considering is covered by your health insurance policy, please call or email our Chicago office today to schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Otto J. Placik.

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