While cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery are closely related fields, there is a key difference in their focus: plastic surgery includes both aesthetic and reconstructive procedures, as well as the treatment of burns.

Plastic surgery is a broad medical specialty that includes not only aesthetic procedures aimed at altering physical appearance but also surgical measures for reconstruction following accidents, illnesses, or congenital conditions. Examples include skin grafts, reconstructive surgery after breast cancer, or the restoration of tissues after injuries.

Cosmetic or beauty surgery, also known as aesthetic surgery, is a subspecialty of plastic surgery that focuses exclusively on cosmetic procedures. Its primary goal is to improve or alter physical appearance, for example through breast augmentation, eyelid lifts, wrinkle treatments, or nose corrections. Unlike reconstructive surgery, cosmetic procedures are not medically or functionally necessary.

In Switzerland, the common German term «Schönheitschirurg» (cosmetic or beauty surgeon) is not a legally protected title. This means that even doctors without a formal specialist qualification in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery can call themselves «Schönheitschirurgen».

The officially recognised specialist qualification in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery is obtained through six years of additional training after completing a medical degree. The corresponding protected title in Switzerland is Board-certified Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery (FMH), or, in German, Facharzt für Plastische, Rekonstruktive und Ästhetische Chirurgie (FMH).

I earned my specialist title in 2010, after first working as a resident at the University Clinic for Plastic and Hand Surgery at Inselspital Bern.

Being board-certified ensures that a surgeon has undergone extensive training and has significant experience while adhering to high medical and ethical standards. In practice, anyone performing aesthetic surgery should also follow the legal and ethical guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of their patients.

A qualified plastic surgeon is typically a member of a recognised professional society, such as Swiss Plastic Surgery. Membership in such associations guarantees that the surgeon meets the necessary qualifications and standards. In addition to Swiss Plastic Surgery, I am also a member of Swiss Aesthetic Surgery and other leading European and international professional associations.

When choosing a «Schönheitschirurg» in Switzerland, it is crucial to consider their education, certification, and experience. If a doctor calls himself «Schönheitschirurg» (or herself «Schönheitschirurgin») that does not mean they have the same expertise and qualifications as an FMH-certified plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgeon.

I am a board-certified plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgeon in Switzerland (FMH) and Europe (FEBOPRAS). Still, many people simply refer to me as a cosmetic or beauty surgeon, which is understandable. As I have explained elsewhere, I often describe myself with a wink as a craftsman. A highly trained and experienced craftsman.

What I do is craftsmanship for the breast, face, and body. This includes all breast procedures, lifting procedures for the face, neck, arms, thighs, and abdomen, as well as reconstructive surgery, such as procedures for skin tumours. Over decades, I have mastered, refined, and advanced my craft in both aesthetic and reconstructive surgery in Switzerland and abroad.

If you would like to learn more about this craftsmanship or benefit from it, I am happy to advise you at my practice, a stone’s throw from Bern railway station.

Dr. med. Borut Banič

Board-certified Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery (FMH)
Fellow of The European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (FEBOPRAS)