plastic surgery

This term encompasses both reconstructive procedures, which restore function or appearance after trauma or congenital defects, and cosmetic procedures, which aim to enhance aesthetic appeal. While often used interchangeably in casual conversation, medical professionals distinguish between the two based on the goal of the intervention.

As a mass noun, this term is treated as uncountable. It refers to the field of medicine or the general process of surgical alteration. To refer to individual operations, speakers use partitive constructions such as "a plastic surgery procedure," though "procedure" or "operation" is the standard counter.