Plastic surgery restores or changes the form and function of different tissues. Its main fields include reconstructive surgery, hand surgery, burn surgery and aesthetic surgery.
Reconstructive procedures may address the effects of injury or disease, for example. Aesthetic procedures primarily aim to make a desired change to appearance. In practice, functional and aesthetic goals can overlap.
Recognition as a specialist requires regulated postgraduate medical training and an examination. Additional qualifications must be demonstrated separately. A specialist title does not imply the same level of experience with every procedure within that field.