Plastic surgery is divided into two main areas: 

reconstructive surgery and aesthetic surgery.

 

Reconstructive surgery 

focuses on the correction and treatment of malformations (i.e. abnormalities) that are congenital or were contracted during life (lesions, tumours, etc.).

Aesthetic surgery

includes surgical and non-surgical procedures that enhance and reshape structures of the body to improve appearance and confidence. Healthy individuals with a positive outlook and realistic expectations are appropriate candidates for cosmetic procedures. Plastic surgery is a personal choice and should be done for yourself, not to meet someone else’s expectations or to try to fit an ideal image. 

But what connects these two entities?

Although the purposes of these two surgical subdisciplines are different, the techniques used in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery are related.