Plastic surgery has two branches: reconstructive surgery, which restores function and appearance after birth defects, cancer or injury, and aesthetic (cosmetic) surgery, which reshapes anatomy that is already there to improve appearance. A plastic surgeon is trained in both branches (ASPS; NHS).
The two branches
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) divides plastic surgery into two main categories, reconstructive and cosmetic (ASPS). Reconstructive surgery restores function and appearance after birth defects, after the effects of conditions such as cancer, and after injuries from accidents. The NHS gives its main aim as repairing and reconstructing missing or damaged tissue and skin after an illness, accident or birth defect, for example rebuilding a breast after a mastectomy or repairing a cleft lip and palate (NHS). Cosmetic surgery reshapes and adjusts anatomy that is already there, to improve how it looks (ASPS). The two are not sealed apart: ASPS notes that cosmetic and reconstructive surgery go hand in hand in many cases.
Training, and how to check it in Lebanon
A plastic surgeon is a surgeon who has completed formal training in plastic surgery. ASPS describes two routes in the United States: five years of general surgery followed by a two- or three-year fellowship in plastic surgery, or an integrated residency of six to eight years (ASPS). ASPS also states that in the United States nothing legally restricts who calls themselves a cosmetic, aesthetic or plastic surgeon, so a title alone does not show what training stands behind it (ASPS).
The same habit works in Lebanon. Ask where the surgeon trained in plastic surgery and which specialty the registration with the Lebanese Order of Physicians lists. ASPS suggests checking whether a surgeon says what they are board certified in, and finding out more if the profile does not say (ASPS). The NHS advises asking about qualifications and training and how many of the procedures the surgeon has done (NHS). The full list of checks is in how to choose a plastic surgeon in Lebanon.
Common operations in each branch
Reconstructive: rebuilding a breast after a mastectomy and repairing a cleft lip and palate (NHS), reconstruction after cancer and after trauma, and operations on the face, hands or feet (ASPS).
Cosmetic: the NHS lists liposuction, tummy tucks and breast reduction among common cosmetic operations (NHS), and ASPS gives liposuction as an example (ASPS). At this practice the aesthetic operations are eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, liposuction, tummy tuck and gynecomastia surgery. Scar treatment has its own page: keloid scars.
When surgery is reconstructive and when it is aesthetic
The same operation can sit in either branch, depending on why it is done. The NHS does not routinely provide cosmetic surgery, and describes cases where it pays for it for psychological or other health reasons: nose reshaping when there are breathing problems, and male breast reduction when gynaecomastia has lasted a long time, other treatments have not worked and it causes considerable pain or distress (NHS). Those are the same operations as rhinoplasty and gynecomastia surgery done for appearance. What changes is the reason, which is why the first conversation is about the reason.
What a first consultation covers
The NHS advises booking a consultation with the person who will do the procedure before making a final decision (NHS). At this practice that person is Dr. Vincent ElKhoury, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a plastic surgeon in Lebanon seeing patients at the clinic in Mansourieh, Metn. The consultation goes through what the operation will do and what it will not do, the risks in full, planning with your own photographs, and the recovery. Some patients are advised against surgery. Nothing is booked under pressure. The practice is described on the plastic surgeon in Mansourieh, Metn page.
What is not surgery: injectables
Botulinum toxin and dermal filler are injections, not operations. ASPS counts Botox, used to reduce wrinkles, among cosmetic procedures (ASPS). They are covered on the toxin and filler page. Offering injections does not show surgical training, so the checks above apply to the person who offers them as well.
Questions
FAQ
What is the difference between plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery?
Plastic surgery has two branches. Reconstructive surgery restores function and appearance after birth defects, cancer or injury. Cosmetic surgery reshapes anatomy that is already there to improve appearance. A plastic surgeon is trained in both.
Is a plastic surgeon also a cosmetic surgeon?
A plastic surgeon is trained in both branches. “Cosmetic surgeon” is a title that, according to ASPS, is not legally restricted in the United States, so it does not by itself show what training a doctor has had.
How do I check a plastic surgeon's qualifications in Lebanon?
Ask where the surgeon trained in plastic surgery, which specialty their registration with the Lebanese Order of Physicians lists, and how many of the procedure they have done. Meet the person who will operate before deciding.
Is rhinoplasty plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery?
It can be either. The same operation is reconstructive when it treats a problem such as breathing difficulty, and aesthetic when it is done to change appearance. The NHS describes cases where it pays for nose reshaping because of breathing problems.
Sources
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