Breast Augmentation - cosmetic versus plastic surgeon. Is one a better option?

Your absolute best that would be a board certified plastic surgeon who does cosmetic surgery. When looking for a surgeon, the first thing to look for is board certification in plastic surgery. Board certification in cosmetic surgery is not recognized to have the same rigorous training and standards as the surgeon fully trained in plastic surgery. Be careful–the wording gets tricky!

There are numerous practitioners of plastic surgery. However, only a select few are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties).
Board certification ensures completion of a rigorous training program of at least 6 years (with at least 3 years of dedicated plastic surgery training. Board certified surgeons have also completed written and oral examinations to determine competency and participate in a continuing medical education programs as a prerequisite of maintaining certification.
Ultimately, certification ensures a measure of certainty when comparing surgeons. You can be assured that your board certified plastic surgeon has seen and treated it all before and is uniquely qualified to manage you pre-operatively, intra-operatively, and most importantly post-operatively.
It is difficult to know the qualifications of a "cosmetic surgeon" as there is no board recognized by the board of medical specialties for this particular "specialty."

Thank you so much for this important question. There is a very big difference between a board certified plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon. A board certified plastic surgeon has gone through at least six years of surgical residency focused on reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. Cosmetic surgeons can come from a variety of backgrounds and typically have less comprehensive training. A board certified plastic surgeon is recommended for safety and optimization of results.