seven things you need to know when choosing a plastic surgeon

  1. Make sure your surgeon is fully trained in Plastic Surgery. The majority of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and can be found on their web site at PlasticSurgery.org. Locally, only fully trained plastic surgeons are allowed to be members of The Greater Sacramento Society of Plastic Surgeons (GSSPS) and can be found at PlasticSurgeonsOfSacramento.com
  2. Do not be fooled by fictitious Board Certifications and Societies. Unfortunately, some physicians are not being fully truthful about their training and certification when it comes to plastic surgery. Look for membership in the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ASPS) and only ASPS members may display their society concentric ring logo. If a surgeon calls themselves a Facial Plastic Surgeon, that does not mean they specialize in the face, it means they are limited to the face and their training is in Otolaryngology and not Plastic Surgery. If one calls themselves a cosmetic surgeon, their actual training could be in anything. (We have gynecologists, pediatricians, and Emergency Medicine physicians calling themselves cosmetic surgeons). If the surgeon tells you they are Board Certified, verify it is by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Other boards, such as the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, or The American Board of Aesthetic Surgery, are not a true recognized Boards and your surgeon is being untruthful.
  3. Your surgery should be performed only in an accredited operating facility. Most hospitals and free standing surgery centers will be accredited. In office facilities must be accredited by either the AAAASF, AAAHC, IMQ, JCOH, or Medicare. This insures that the facility meets all of the safety and sterility standards required by law. If one is operating in a non-certified office facility there are no assurances as to the sterility, safety equipment, and emergency protocols present to ensure a successful surgical outcome.
  4. Develop a good rapport with your surgeon. If your initial consultation is performed by a nurse, office personnel or sales person, you may want to consider another surgeon. You want to meet your surgeon up front and assure they understand your desires, and they determine if your expectations are reasonable. You should not be meeting your physician for the first time in the operating room.
  5. Ask to see before and after photos of cases performed by the surgeon you are considering. Do not rely on photos from national chains that display results from surgeons other than the one performing your surgery. Do not rely on an infomercial as the determining point in choosing your surgeon as this seldom represents the individual surgeons results.
  6. Do not be swayed by excessive advertising. A surgeon's work should stand for itself. Some surgeons and surgical clinics use excessive advertising to draw a continuous flow of new patients to their office, and are therefore not dependent on the results of previous surgeries and referrals from happy patients to fill their schedules. If a surgeon or clinic is doing excessive advertising, there is usually a reason for it.
  7. Assure that your surgeon is on staff at a local hospital and has admitting surgical privileges. If a serious complication should occur, you want to be very secure in knowing that your surgeon will be there for you and able to take care of you.