Plastic Surgeon Vs. Facial Plastic Surgeon: is There a Difference?

amazed when told by a friend that a plastic surgeon is not the same as a facial plastic surgeon. i always thought facial plastic surgeons do plastic surgery of the face like facelifts, and that they are plastic surgeons that specialize in the face procedures. plz help me understand the differences, if any!

**Note from RealSelf** This question is closed to new answers. Our site is designed to help consumers make confident choices and the below answers have lost this spirit. To see the criteria RealSelf uses to list a doctor as a Facial Plastic Surgeon, please visit our Professional Policies. Doctors listed as a 'Facial Plastic Surgeon' on RealSelf are eligible to provide expert answers regarding "neck-up" procedures, including those of the face, ear, nose and throat areas. As always, consumers should do their due-diligence in researching an individual doctors experience and credentials when choosing their surgeon.

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Differences between facial plastic surgeon and plastic surgeon

I am a Facial Plastic Surgeon and proud to be so. Obviously, my perspective is biased based on my training, a training devoted to the face and neck. However, I think there are several observations a prospective patient should consider in making their decision. The Individual Surgeon: I can assure you that if you are seeing a Facial Plastic Surgeon or General Plastic Surgeon, there is a high probability you are seeing a surgeon who has excelled academically and clinically in... more

Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

The terms are confusing to many patients

A "Plastic Surgeon" who is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery has extensive training in all aspects of plastic surgery, from aesthetic to burns to cancer reconstruction to pediatric. The minimum length of post medical school training to become Board Certified in Plastic Surgery is 6 years of formal surgical residency but many have done several more years of training than just the basic 6. "Facial Plastic Surgeons" derive their name from typically being trained in... more

Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Jacques Joseph was a facial plastic surgeon

Jacques Joseph was in fact a facial plastic surgeon and indeed is considered the father of rhinoplasty surgery and other facial plastic surgery procedures. In fact, he originally trained in orthopedic surgery and then went on to excel in facial plastic surgery. He eventually directed the Department of Facial Reconstruction at the Charité Ear and Nose Clinic in 1916. Considered at the time as the world’s best rhinoplasty surgeon, he taught other famous surgeons, including:... more

Min S. Ahn, MD

Westborough Facial Plastic Surgeon

The difference is the route of training

There is a difference between facial plastic surgeons and plastic surgeons though both can be very good at facial cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Plastic surgeons go through a 3 to 5 year program in general surgery then spend 2 years in a plastic surgery residency. Facial plastic surgeons can be plastic surgeons who have done an additional year of fellowship in just cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the head and neck. More commonly, facial plastic surgeons have undergone one... more

D.J. Verret, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

Do your research, and choose a surgeon with experience

The difference is in 2 main aspects: 1. Training - Plastic Surgery is a sub-specialty of General Surgery where as Facial Plastic Surgery is a sub-specialty of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (commonly known as ENT). Plastic Surgeons train in all body surgery which includes the face whereas Facial Plastic Surgeons train only in the face, head, and neck surgery. 2. Focus of practice - Facial Plastic Surgeons - obviously as the name describes - limit their surgical... more

Sam Naficy, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

What is the Difference Between General Plastic and Facial Plastic Surgeons? ...Clothing

Hi Sonya, General plastic surgeons are trained with 5 years of general surgery followed by 2-3 years of general plastic surgery including the face, neck, chest, breasts, arms, hands, legs, feet, burns). General plastic surgeons are qualified to perform all plastic surgical procedures. Facial plastic surgeons usually are trained with 1-2 years of general surgery, then 3-4 years of head and neck surgery (also known as ear, nose, and throat surgery, including facial plastic and reconstructive... more

Michael A. Persky, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

Plastic surgeons, Facial plastic surgeons, Cosmetic surgeons

Plastic surgeons are trained in Plastic surgery. Facial Plastic Surgeons are trained in ENT. Both are trained to work on the face. There are simply two different surgical pathways to get there. One is through Plastic Surgery training, leading to "Board Certified in Plastic Surgery," the other through ENT, leading to "Board Certified in Facial Plastic Surgery". There are fine individuals in both camps. Both have done surgical residencies. This is very different from a... more

Brent Moelleken, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

There are many similarities between Facial Plastic Surgeons and Plastic Surgeons

Sonya, There are many similarities between Facial Plastic Surgeons and Plastic Surgeons - the first is that they are both experts of the face. However, there are also many differences. As many have noted below, plastic surgeons are the only speciality that also specialize on the rest of the body. While cosmetic surgery is a core topic in plastic surgery training, some plastic surgeons go on to do fellowships specifically in aesthetic plastic surgery to include additional training in... more

David Shafer, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Lumpers and Splitters

Cosmetic Surgery of the Face is practiced by a variety of individuals. In the present free-market environment, this may include not only the "traditional" specialties of Plastic Surgery, ENT, and Ophthalmology, but also Dermatology, Oral Surgery, and even Dentistry. The burden of determining the proper level of credentialing has unfortunately fallen to the patient, who all too often may succumb to slick marketing, or may simply fail to do her homework in investigating the... more

Athleo Louis Cambre, MD

Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Who’s the facial cosmetic king on the mountain? It is all about one’s training and experience!

Who’s the facial cosmetic king on the mountain? It is all about one’s training and experience! What a great question. So, what is the difference between a facial plastic surgeon and a plastic surgeon? Or, using your example, which is better qualified to perform a facelift? As a consumer, it is confusing to sort this out. However, the answer is simple. It is all about the physician’s training and experience! Both a plastic surgeon and a facial plastic surgeon have gone... more

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

There is a difference between plastic surgeons and facial plastic surgeons

Typically facial plastic surgeons, cosmetic surgeons and anything other than "plastic surgeon" represent physicians who have trained in fields other than plastic surgery as part of their primary training. In some cases titles like "cosmetic surgeon" are used to disguise training that is not typically associated with aesthetic surgeries (gynecology, anesthesia etc.) But in some cases (more typically for "facial plastic surgeons") some of these physicians have... more

Steven H. Williams, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

It is very simple

1) A plastic surgeon is a plastic surgeon 2) A Facial Plastic Surgeon is a Facial Plastic Surgeon These are 2 completely different specialties with totally different training backgrounds. A) Facial Plastic surgeons are usually ENT surgeons who went above and beyond and did one more year of training ONLY on the face and neck. That is 6 years EXCLUSIVELY on the face and neck. B) Plastic surgeons are either general surgeons who spent 5 years operating inside the abdomen... more

Shervin Naderi, MD

Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon

Plastic Surgeon vs. Facial Plastic Surgeon - What's the difference

Plastic surgeon generally undergo more training in cosmetic plastic surgery than facial plastic surgeons, especially if they complete an aesthetic fellowship. Plastic surgeons complete 3-5 years of training in general surgery after which they complete 2-3 years of training in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. Often many plastic surgeons complete an extra year of fellowship training after the plastic surgery residency. During their experience, they learn from a number of... more

Ankit Desai, MD

Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Difference in training

A facial plastic surgeon’s original training is in otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat surgery). Once they are board-certified in ear, nose, and throat, they further their training with fellowship and another set of boards and become board-certified in facial plastic surgery. Plastic surgeons usually have an original background in general surgery and perform two to three years of general plastic surgery. Facial plastic surgeons are uniquely positioned to address difficult facial... more

William Portuese, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Welcome to our world!

Hello Sonya, As you can see from the many responses you have received you have touched upon a bit of a hot topic! I wanted to chime in just to answer your question as factually as possible. A board certified Facial Plastic Surgeon is a Physician who has complete training and board certification in Ear, Nose and Throat. This means they have extensive experience in all aspects of medicine and surgery involving the face, head and neck. This includes diseases, birth defects, trauma, cancer... more

Kamran Jafri, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

A "Facial Plastic Surgeon" is not a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Unfortunatley, many ENT surgeons try to pass themselves as a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon by telling the public that they are a "facial plastic surgeon". now a these days the podietrist that do foot surgery call themselves "foot Plastic surgeon". Although there is a subspecialty of facial plastic surgery for ENT surgeon, if an ENT wanted to be a plastic surgeon why does'nt he/she just do their training in Plastic Surgery.

S. Sean Younai, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

There is a difference

Facial plastic surgeons are different from plastic surgeons. They do not have the same training as platic surgeons. There focus is only fromt he neck up. They do not do an y body work. Plastic surgeons can do it all. However, it doesn't mean that the facial plastic surgeons don't do good work on the face nor does it mean that plastic surgeons are any better at it either.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

I am a plastic surgeon and proud of it.

Plastic surgery is a field with a history as long as time. Trephination was a form of craniofacial surgery (a plastic surgery discipline). Plastic surgery was performed in the 16th century when noses were reconstructed from parts of the arm after battle wounds had rendered the noses destroyed. In the 20th century, a plastic surgeon in Germany, Jacques Joseph, described the first facelifts and rhinoplasties. In 1931, the Plastic Surgeons formed an association that's goal was to define the... more