Why Using Certified Plastic Surgeons is Safest
Listen to the media – just this once!
We are all aware of what happened to legendary pop star Michael Jackson when he was given a medication by a cardiologist, which is normally prescribed by an anesthesiologist. But what happens when doctors – not certified plastic surgeons – performs plastic or cosmetic surgery? The truth is, you may not want to find out first hand.
Don’t become a victim
There are scores of horror stories about people falling victim to inept practitioners. Unfortunately, this underscores the importance of patients digging deeper and doing their due diligence on any person claiming to be capable of performing cosmetic procedures.
What you can do to check out your plastic surgeon
If you are a prospective patient and are interested in a cosmetic surgery procedure, your safety and health are in your hands. It’s imperative that you are certain the person who will be conducting the procedure is not only a physician, but a physician who is actually qualified to perform the procedure, such as certified plastic surgeons are qualified for plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures.
When it comes to cosmetic surgery there are many physicians within the medical community who are willing to perform these procedures but who have not received formal training. The surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) are the only cosmetic surgeons recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) who are considered capable of performing cosmetic procedures on the face and other areas of the body. (The ABMS certifies physicians in every other field of medicine.) It is far too common in this day and age for doctors who are board-certified in something other than plastic surgery to list cosmetic procedures as a capability.
Certified Plastic Surgeons
As a certified plastic surgeon, I would never contemplate assuming the duties of an obstetrician by pretending I’m qualified to deliver a baby. Nor would I suggest that you let me take care of that root canal while I’m performing a rhinoplasty procedure. Board certified plastic surgeons are specialists who have studied and learned the amazingly intricate nature of repairing and reshaping the human body in the same way a cardiologist understands how to heal the heart.
Taking Responsibility for Education of the Public
As a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), one of the Society’s main goals is to educate the general public about cosmetic surgery and the vigorous training that is required to become a “Board-certified Plastic Surgeon” and a member of the “American Society of Plastic Surgeons.” It is a goal I take seriously, if for no other reason than to ensure that you or someone you love doesn’t put mistaken trust in a doctor who is not qualified to perform cosmetic surgery.
Resources for the Public on Surgeons
If you’d like to learn whether your physician is board certified and has undergone the rigorous schooling and countless hours of evaluation by his or her peers to be considered certified plastic surgeons, the following link can help.
