What is the difference between plastic and cosmetic surgery?
Plastic surgery is broader than cosmetic surgery. The sole purpose of cosmetic surgery is to improve a person’s physical harmony and beauty. Plastic surgery repairs significant lesions and defects while taking aesthetics into account in the final result. Plastic surgery includes reconstructive surgery and restorative surgery .
Its aim is to treat people physically and mentally following:
- A burn.
- A bite.
- A cancer.
- A malformation.
- Surgery, an ablation.
Cosmetic surgery
Cosmetic surgery aims to beautify the body, correct asymmetries, imperfections, and original shapes. This surgery allows the patient to have a physique that is closer to their ideal. The goal is often to regain self-confidence and to re-learn to love themselves. A physical characteristic will attract attention, and many patients are tired of seeing that the people they are talking to are scrutinizing their flaw rather than listening to what they are saying. Cosmetic surgery is rarely aimed at attracting attention, but rather at being able to blend in and live a “normal” life.
The most common cosmetic surgeries are:
- Rhinoplasty .
- Otoplasty (ear surgery) .
- Genioplasty (chin surgery) .
- Facelifts (cervico-facial, fronto-temporal, etc.).
- Blepharoplasty (bags and dark circles under the eyes)
- Mammoplasty (breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast augmentation, mammopexy).
- Liposuction of the abdomen and legs, abdominoplasty, body lift, dermolipectomy, lipostructure, liposuction.
- Intimate surgery, ethnic surgery…
- Medical surgery (hair transplants, hyaluronic acid injections, fillers, botox injections (botulinum toxin)…
No physiological objective
Cosmetic surgery never aims to restore a function vital to the normal functioning of the human body. It concerns only its physical appearance, what is visible to others. However, it is often combined with other surgeries to mask damage caused by plastic or reconstructive surgery.
A psychological interest
While cosmetic surgery cannot restore the body’s vital functions, it can nevertheless resolve physical complexes that cause real psychological suffering. When a physical detail becomes unbearable and occupies all thoughts, the patient may feel truly uncomfortable in their own skin and prefer to isolate themselves.
Cosmetic surgery is not reimbursed
Despite its psychological benefits, cosmetic surgeries are not reimbursed by social security . They also do not allow you to obtain sick leave. The vast majority of mutual insurance companies do not reimburse any cosmetic surgery. It is therefore up to the patient to finance their operation. There are, however, certain exceptions, such as surgery for protruding ears in children, for example, but the files will be validated on a case-by-case basis. Thus, cosmetic surgery costs €2,500 to €12,000 depending on its difficulty and the choice of surgeon.
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is broader than cosmetic surgery. Its goal is to repair something and then mask the repair with cosmetic surgery. It allows for the treatment of a condition and is considered essential.
1st objective: repair the physique
Reconstructive surgery is the first step in plastic surgery. Reconstructive surgery helps restore the body after a deformity, injury, illness, cancer, or accident. The most well-known are:
- Maxillofacial surgery (jaws and face).
- Craniofacial surgery (skull and face).
- Repair of cleft lip and palate.
- Post-mastectomy or lumpectomy breast reconstruction.
- Skin grafts, burn repair, wound and scar repair.
- Reconstruction of limbs, tendons and nerves after an accident.
- Correction of congenital malformations.
- Reconstruction of ears, nose or hands.
2nd objective: repair the aesthetics
The plastic surgeon will therefore work to reconstruct the shapes in order to restore the body’s beauty, symmetry and general harmony. Plastic surgery will therefore include the cosmetic surgery presented in the first part of this article.
Operations reimbursed by health insurance
This type of surgery is considered essential and is therefore partially or fully reimbursed by the CPAM (Health Insurance Fund) and mutual insurance companies. Since some cases are sometimes ambiguous, medical advisors are available to review each case and determine whether or not health insurance will reimburse the operation. To do this, you must first prepare a file with the surgeon. The plastic surgeon will repair and reconstruct all visible parts of the body.
History of Plastic Surgery
We speak of “plastic” in the same sense as the visual arts. Plastic does not refer to the material used for packaging. “Plastic” is understood as a modification of shapes.
Plastic surgery emerged and expanded enormously during the two world wars. The massive use of firearms, shells, and explosives damaged bodies without necessarily killing them, and it was necessary to come to the aid of the “broken faces” to restore a little humanity to them.
Cosmetic and plastic surgery are often performed by the same surgeons. However, they often specialize in one area or part of the body. Some perform only cosmetic surgery, while others only reconstructive surgery. However, they all benefit from the same level of training and qualifications.
Before / After Simulator
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Upload your photo, either from the side or the front, and tell us what type of modifications you’d like to see. We’ll send you a modified photo to show you what it could look like. You can then show the photo to your surgeon.