The difference between cosmetic and plastic surgery is a critical distinction that reflects their unique goals, techniques, and training requirements.
In today’s world, many people seek surgery for more than just aesthetic improvements, but to improve their self-esteem or quality of life. Factors such as aging, weight loss, past injury or trauma, and pregnancy can affect your appearance and quality of life. Both cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures can address a variety of concerns, but many people do not understand the differences or know how to find a surgeon who fits their needs.
Cosmetic surgery is a focused medical specialty that is dedicated to improving one’s appearance. These procedures can be life-changing, often enhancing one’s quality of life in addition to their appearance. Cosmetic surgeons are trained to enhance areas of the head, neck, and body, including the breasts, abdomen, buttocks, face, and more.
On the other hand, plastic surgery is focused more on reconstructive procedures and techniques, but also relies on cosmetic techniques to enhance its results.
Dr. Dax Demaree of Premier Surgical Arts is a triple board-certified cosmetic surgeon. He is boarded through the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery, and in general surgery by the American College of Osteopathic Surgery. He believes that patient safety and care must come first and offers tailored treatment plans designed around each patient’s medical history and lifestyle habits.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Demaree and learn more about how he can help you achieve your goals, please submit our online contact form or call our Altoona office at (715) 575-5800.
Contents
About Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgery is a distinct category of surgical procedures that are performed to elevate one’s aesthetic appearance. (1) This medical specialty has rapidly grown in the last several years as the demand from patients has increased. (2) Cosmetic procedures often improve one’s quality of life through enhancing their self-esteem and body positivity, with each procedure offering its own specific benefits. Cosmetic surgeons may originate from other fields of medicine, including plastic surgery, general surgery, or even otolaryngology, but all must undergo additional training that is specific to cosmetic procedures.
When training, cosmetic surgeons must go through specialized training to learn how to address different areas of the body and create results that look natural for each individual. This is often completed in the form of a post-residency cosmetic fellowship, during which the doctor may focus on a specific area of treatment.
Why Cosmetic Fellowship Training Matters
As established previously, a fellowship is a program that follows one’s residency program and provides advanced training in a primary specialty or subspecialty. When seeking a cosmetic procedure, it is important to meet with a fellowship-trained surgeon, as they have the extra training and hands-on experience necessary for achieving optimal results.
During a fellowship, doctors work under the guidance of an experienced mentor surgeon in an established and thriving practice. This not only provides a wealth of knowledge to newer surgeons, but also allows them to gain the insight necessary to perform in practice as well as lead their own practice.
Surgeons who participate in fellowships work on hundreds of cosmetic procedures, with different programs requiring their fellows to perform certain numbers of procedures. Both the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery’s fellowship program and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery’s general cosmetic surgery fellowship require at least 300 cosmetic surgeries to be completed by the end of their program. (5, 6)
Dr. Demaree is a triple-board-certified cosmetic surgeon, certified through the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery, and in general surgery by the American College of Osteopathic Surgery. After his residency, Dr. Demaree received additional training in cosmetic surgery through the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. During this time, he trained at Southern Surgical Arts in Chattanooga, TN, under the direction of world-renowned cosmetic surgeons Dr. Chad Deal and Dr. Vincent Gardner. It was through this fellowship that he was able to participate in more than 1,300 different cosmetic surgical procedures and learn how to use the newest and latest aesthetic technologies.
About Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery consists primarily of reconstructive procedures and some cosmetic procedures and aims to restore the natural form or function of various body parts that may have been affected by congenital defects, disorders, trauma, and more. While cosmetic surgery is a separate field of surgery, many plastic surgeons actually seek out cosmetic or aesthetic fellowship training. This is because they have to utilize cosmetic principles whenever possible to facilitate optimal, aesthetically pleasing results when performing reconstructive procedures and they may not have gotten enough cosmetic training in their residency. This helps ensure natural-looking results that allow patients to look and feel their best.
What Does it Mean to Be Board Certified?
Board certification by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and/or the American Board of Plastic Surgery is a voluntary process that showcases a higher commitment to professionalism and patient care. To become a board-certified surgeon, you must meet certain educational requirements and pass both a written and oral examination.
Requirements for Becoming a Board-Certified Cosmetic Surgeon
As stated earlier, several training and education requirements must be met to become a board-certified cosmetic surgeon. These requirements include:
- Spending an entire year training exclusively in cosmetic surgery.
- Performing a minimum of 300 cosmetic surgeries on the face, breast, and body.
- Receiving further training in non-surgical treatments, such as injectables, laser treatments, and skincare.
- Pass a 2-day oral and written exam that comprehensively covers each aspect of cosmetic surgery. (3)
Once each requirement is met and the examination is passed, the surgeon’s certification is active for 10 years—with ongoing education and periodic assessments to maintain active status—before they must take another assessment to recertify.
How to Choose the Right Surgeon for Your Goals
When starting your search for your surgeon, it is important to consider the type of procedure you want performed, the type of goals you are aiming to achieve, as well as the specialty and training of your surgeon. When seeking aesthetically pleasing results, you should seek the expertise of a cosmetic surgeon. These practitioners typically perform procedures such as facelifts, liposuction, breast augmentation, and more. Additionally, the practitioner you work with must have the proper training, experience, board certifications, and qualifications. These extra credentials show that your surgeon has taken the time to undergo more training and testing beyond just their schooling; Maintaining board certification signifies that the surgeon has met the highest standards of their respective specialty. Completing a fellowship in addition to this demonstrates hands-on experience under the supervision of a mentor in a focused area of medicine.
This background helps guarantee that the surgeon you choose has the expertise needed to provide you with the best possible results.
Popular Cosmetic Procedures Offered by Dr. Demaree
Dr. Demaree offers a wide range of procedures that can be performed to enhance several areas of the body. These procedures and treatments may be performed on their own or paired together. A few of his procedures include breast augmentation, breast lifts, facelifts, liposuction, tummy tucks, and non-surgical treatments.
Breast Augmentation
A breast augmentation, also known as an augmentation mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure designed to enhance the volume and shape of the breasts. This procedure aims to address lost volume, asymmetry, or other visual concerns to provide a more refined and contoured appearance. Dr. Demaree can perform this procedure using either fat grafting or implants, with options varying in implant size, material, and shape.
Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
A facelift is a procedure designed to restore a more youthful-looking appearance to the middle and lower portions of the face. Also referred to as a rhytidectomy, this procedure can be performed to tighten and reposition the skin, fat, and underlying facial muscles to refresh and rejuvenate your appearance.
Liposuction
Liposuction is a body-contouring procedure that can eliminate stubborn deposits of fat from around the body. This treatment is highly versatile and can be performed almost anywhere excess fat exists. Dr. Demaree can use a suctioning cannula to redefine your contours and permanently eliminate fat cells, improving both your proportions and your self-confidence.
Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
A tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure that can be performed to strengthen the abdominal muscles and remove excess skin from around the midsection. This procedure is typically performed after significant weight loss or pregnancy, and can help you achieve a smoother, tighter, and flatter stomach.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Our non-surgical treatments consist of a range of injectables, lasers, radiofrequency treatments, and more, each of which offers its own benefits and effects. These treatments can be performed to restore a younger look, alleviate pain or discomfort, and more.
Cost of Cosmetic or Plastic Surgery in Eau Claire, WI
The cost of your personalized procedure can vary depending on what treatments or procedures are performed, as well as your individual goals and concerns. During a consultation, Dr. Demaree or another member of our team will discuss the pricing of your full treatment plan with you. Premier Surgical Arts also offers several financing options to help you attain your goals more easily. Our patient coordinators are more than happy to determine which option is right for you.
To schedule a consultation and learn more about the cost of our services, please submit our online contact form or call our Altoona office at (715) 575-5800.
FAQ
Why should I consider undergoing cosmetic or plastic surgery?
Many patients find that undergoing surgery helps them achieve permanent changes to their appearance that they would not be able to obtain on their own. This can enhance their self-confidence and esteem, leading to a potential improvement in their quality of life.
Are board-certified cosmetic surgeons trained in non-surgical treatments?
Yes! Board-certified cosmetic surgeons must learn about injectable treatments, laser treatments, and skincare to sit for their certification exam.
Does it take longer to recover from cosmetic procedures in comparison to reconstructive procedures?
Your recovery timeline will depend on the procedures being performed, the concerns being addressed, as well as your individual health and lifestyle factors, rather than whether your procedure is cosmetic or reconstructive.
References
- Barone M, Cogliandro A, Persichetti P. Ethics and Plastic Surgery/What is Plastic Surgery? Archives of Plastic Surgery. 2017;44(1):90-92. doi:https://doi.org/10.5999/aps.2017.44.1.90
- Hoeyberghs JL. Fortnightly review: Cosmetic surgery. BMJ. 1999;318(7182):512-516. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.318.7182.512
- AMERICAN BOARD OF COSMETIC SURGERY. Cosmetic Surgery vs. Plastic Surgery | American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Published 2009. https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/patient-resources/cosmetic-surgery-vs-plastic-surgery/
- Life During (and After) Fellowship Training with the ABCS: What You Can Expect. ABCS. Published December 14, 2020. https://www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org/abcs-fellowship-training
- American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. AACS Certified Cosmetic Fellowship Program. Published 2025. https://cosmeticsurgery.org/fellowships/general/