Know Your Plastic Surgeon
With the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery, it is now more important than ever to have the utmost confidence in your plastic surgeon. It is wise to spend five minutes looking at your physician’s qualifications because you will spend a lifetime staring at his or her results in the mirror. At a minimum, you should be sure to research the doctor’s qualifications and medical record with the American Board of Plastic Surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the Oklahoma Medical Board. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is a great resource for finding more information on general plastic surgery as well as procedural information and statistics.
In addition, understand that there is a significant difference between a cosmetic surgeon and a plastic surgeon. Any physician can claim to be a cosmetic surgeon – regardless of their actual training. In fact, most physicians who advertise as cosmetic surgeons trained in fields other than plastic surgery. Only those physicians who have been trained in an accredited plastic surgery residency program can claim to be plastic surgeons. The title plastic surgeon represents the highest degree of professional certification. Always choose a board-certified plastic surgeon.