Want to improve your appearance to look your best? – Both cosmetic dermatologists and plastic surgeons are in the business of helping you achieve the desired results. So, should you see a plastic surgeon or a cosmetic dermatologist to get the services you are looking for? In order to make the right decision, you first need to understand the similarities of and differences between the two medical specialties.

Dermatologists are medical doctors who are experts in the care and treatment of skin, hair and nails. Cosmetic dermatologists are dermatologists who have sought additional training in dermatology to be able to address and treat cosmetic or aesthetic concerns of their patients. They usually concentrate on minimally invasive procedures like mini-facelift, eyelid surgery, and brow lift and non-invasive procedures that include Botox injections, skin rejuvenation procedures like microdermabrasion, dermal filler injections such as Restylane, Radiesse, and Juvederm, and also medical grade laser procedures and chemical peels.

Procedures performed by cosmetic dermatologists have grown in popularity over the recent years as more and more women and men have looked for ways to maintain their youthful appearance without having to take time away from their daily routine and without having to pay an extra premium for more invasive procedures. As a result, minimally invasive and non-invasive treatments provided by cosmetic dermatologists have made quick beauty enhancements more accessible and affordable than ever.

As opposed to cosmetic dermatologists, plastic surgeons are medical doctors certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery to perform body reconstructive surgeries as well as aesthetic surgical procedures, among which are face lifts, nose jobs (rhinoplasty), breast augmentation and reduction, and body enhancement procedures like liposuction, tummy tuck and body lift. Similarly to plastic surgeons, cosmetic surgeons also perform aesthetic surgeries but they are not licensed by the American board of Plastic Surgery. In most cases, cosmetic surgeons perform operations to enhance your natural appearance or restore your youthful look rather than reshaping or reconstructing the body.

Taking all that into consideration, in order to decide whether you should see a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist, you first have to figure out what procedure you wish to have. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons do, in fact, treat many of the same issues, but while doctors of dermatology usually deal with conditions of the skin, hair, nails, plastic surgeons primarily concentrate on more complex cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures.