The Importance Behind Choosing a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

by Dr. Steven Wallach

When opting for plastic surgery, there are likely two things that hit the top of your priority list: results and price. And although both of those things are important, don’t let a plastic surgeon’s cheap rates get you to go under the knife without doing a little bit of research. As one of, if not the most important, things to look out for when choosing a plastic surgeon is whether or not they are board certified. Skip the Horror Stories We’ve all heard horror stories of innocent people going into a plastic surgeons office only to have their buttox or their breasts filled with a foreign substance like cement, thus causing not only extreme abnormalities but health issues as well. There have also been stories in which patients receive silicone injections directly into their breasts and then end up getting cancer later down the line. Skip even the slightest possibility of one of these horror stories becoming your reality and make sure that you pick a plastic surgeon who is board certified. Board Certification When it comes to the terminology “Board Certified,” what does that exactly mean? What criteria do these plastic surgeons have to undergo and meet before they can obtain certification? According to plasticsurgery.org, surgeons must complete the following:

• Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery® (ABPS)
• Complete at least six years of surgical training following medical school with a minimum of three years of plastic surgery residency training
• Pass comprehensive oral and written exams
• Graduate from an accredited medical school
• Complete continuing medical education, including patient safety each year
• Perform surgery in accredited, state-licensed, or Medicare-certified surgical facilities
• Adheres to a strict Code of Ethics

So what does all of this criteria mean for you as a patient? It means that you can trust that your plastic surgeon has met and succeeded all expectations and requirements leading up to them become a licensed medical professional. And it means that you can trust that they’ve received the amount of training required to properly work on you and your body. In this world it can be easy to mistake a good deal for a giant problem. If you’re considering getting plastic surgery, make sure that your surgeon is board certified. To schedule an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon, contact our office today!