It is more and more common that doctors limit their practices to specific surgical procedures or to the treatment of particular conditions. One big reason for this is that it decreases their ability for malpractice (lawsuits) while increasing their expertise/experience. They become better known in the field they specialize in, both locally and nationally – get the facts!
Board Certification in Cosmetic Surgery
Understanding that there is no one plastic surgeon who can be an expert in all surgical procedures and conditions related to cosmetic surgery, or has a specialization within them, is essential. Finding plastic surgeons with a strong background and recognition in certain areas of surgery is important.
Some surgeons specialize in only facial reconstruction and plastic surgery, even though plastic surgery is the most popular certification. Such surgical procedures include eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, facial reconstructive surgery, oculoplasty/ophthalmic, and other facial cosmetic surgical procedures to name a few.
Not all otolaryngologists are experts in cosmetic facial surgery. Only a handful of otolaryngologists are certified in facial cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgery, hand surgery, and otolaryngology are the three fields of plastic surgery that have board certification. Some plastic surgeons, however, are triple or even quadruple-board certified.
How to Hire a Cosmetic Surgery
1. Forget the telephone book when choosing a cosmetic surgeon.
2. Be cautious when approaching sites that claim to offer comprehensive information about doctor credentials or free ratings. In reality, you should expect negative ratings from every doctor.
3. A plastic surgeon who is very active in advertising should be avoided. Plastic surgeons who are in high demand have a lot of clients and don’t need to spend a lot of money advertising.
4. When choosing a surgeon, make sure they are board-certified in their field.
5. Find out what areas of plastic surgery are most relevant to you.
6. In general, the deeper their report of professional experience is the greater the amount of experience.