Choosing a Plastic Surgeon
Choosing the right surgeon is as important as choosing the right procedure. Not all surgeons are created equal and it behooves you to verify the training, skill and ethics of your surgeon before entrusting him or her to perform your surgery. Training in the field of Plastic Surgery ensures that your surgeon has the basic education and training to operate on any region of the body. Board Certification (or Board Eligibility) in Plastic Surgery assures that your surgeon has meet the educational, skill, and ethical requirements established by the American Board of Surgical Specialties and is fully trained in Plastic Surgery.
There are numerous referral web-sites on the internet promoting various surgeons in a variety of plastic surgical procedures. The majority of these sites are paid advertisements and will promote any surgeon willing to pay the annual advertising rate. They do not assure the training, education, or skill of the surgeon.
Referrals from other satisfied patients are one of the strongest endorsements for a surgeon, but verification of that surgeons training and education is still advised. Do not rely strictly on the volume and size of a physicians advertizing budget, as that can be only a reflection on their desperation for new patients. Question your perspective surgeon as to the training they have had, the success of the operations they perform, and the way they handle any potential complications.
Some new mass marketed procedures and clinics have emerged as corporate investors have tried to profit in the plastic surgical market. One hour facelifts, and weekend fat loss are such examples. If they are too good to be true, they are usually scams.
The listing of the Plastic Surgeons of the Sacramento Area in this web site is a list of only those surgeons who are fully trained in Plastic Surgery and are either Board Certified or Board Eligible in Plastic Surgery, as deemed by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. A link is provided to most of the surgeons personal web sites for further information regarding their personal history, experience and philosophy.