How To Choose a Qualified Plastic Surgeon

»Step One: Gathering Names
»Step Two: Checking Credentials
»Step Three: The Consultation
»Step Four: Time to Choose
»Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Qualified Plastic Surgeon
»"What's Behind a Symbol? A Quality Plastic Surgeon"

Step One: Gathering Names

In choosing a plastic surgeon, your first goal is to develop a list of good candidates. Where do you find them? Some sources are better than others.

Friends. If you know someone who's had a procedure like the one you're considering, talk to him or her about it. But don't decide on a surgeon based on one friend's experience. Every patient is unique, and so is every surgery; your results might be quite different from your friend's.

Doctors. Your family doctor may be able to recommend a plastic surgeon. Ask your doctor how many patients he or she has referred to this surgeon, and what feedback they offered later. Ask whether the doctor would send a family member to this plastic surgeon.

Nurses. If you know an operating room nurse-or if you know someone who knows one-you can probably get a well-informed opinion on surgeons he or she has worked with.

Hospitals. Call a respected hospital in your community and ask for the names of board-certified plastic surgeons on staff. Be sure to ask for the names of doctors who have privileges (official approval) to do the particular procedure you're considering.

ASPS website (www.plasticsurgery.org) is an excellent source of names. Simply call the toll-free number 1-888-4-PLASTIC (475-2784), and leave your name, address, and the procedure you're interested in. We'll send you the names of five plastic surgeons in your area who perform that procedure. Their membership in the ASPS means they're certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and members of the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the U.S. You can show this list to a doctor you trust and ask if he or she has any recommendations. You can also check the list against the one you may have received from the hospital.

Special directories. You can find the names of board-certified plastic surgeons, listed by state and city, in two reference books available in most public libraries: The Directory of Medical Specialists, published by Marquis Who's Who, and The Compendium of Certified Medical Specialists, published by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

Paid advertising. You can find plenty of physicians' names in the yellow pages and other advertising sources. But keep in mind that doctors can list themselves under any specialty heading they like, and can advertise any services they want to sell, regardless of their training and credentials. (Exceptions are group listings sponsored by the American Board of Medical Specialties or its member boards.)

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Step Two: Checking Credentials

Once you've compiled a list of several doctors, you can start checking their credentials. While good credentials can't guarantee you a successful outcome, they can significantly increase the odds. You can obtain the following information from the directories mentioned above, hospitals and professional societies, and the surgeon's office.

Training. More important than where your surgeon went to school is the type of training he or she received. Has the surgeon completed an accredited residency program specifically in plastic surgery? Such a program includes two or three years of intensive training in the full spectrum of reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. While your plastic surgeon may choose to concentrate on a limited number of procedures, this comprehensive background gives a solid foundation to his or her skills.

Board certification. Everyone has heard the phrase "board-certified." But very few people know what it means, or what to look for.

Patients are encouraged to consider a doctor certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). By choosing a plastic surgeon who is certified by the ABPS, a patient can be assured that the doctor has graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of additional residency- usually three years of general surgery (or its equivalent) and two years of plastic surgery. To be certified by the ABPS, a doctor must also practice plastic surgery for two years and pass comprehensive written and oral exams.

Hospital privileges. Even if your surgery will be performed in the doctor's own surgical facility, he or she should have privileges to perform that procedure at an accredited hospital in your community. It means the surgeon is subject to approval by a body of his or her peers. Call the hospital to make sure.

Experience. Although there's no magic number (of years or procedures) that defines "experience," you should feel comfortable that the surgeon you choose is well versed and up-to-date in the procedure you're considering. You can ask the surgeons on your list if they do the procedure frequently or only occasionally, and when they last performed that procedure.

Professional societies. Physicians may belong to a wide array of professional societies, Of the societies representing plastic surgeons, one of the most demanding - and by far the largest - is ASPS. Its members must be certified by the ABPS and reviewed by their peers.

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Step Three: The Consultation

If you've narrowed your list down to two or three surgeons, you might want to visit them all for an initial consultation. you might want to visit them all for an initial consultation to compare their personalities, opinions on the type of surgery you should have, fees and the way they answer your questions. As with any important decision, getting a second opinion is something that can be beneficial for patients. The ASPS Plastic Surgeon Referral Service recognizes this, and sends patients the names of five board-certified plastic surgeons in a patient's geographic area. To get suck a list, patients need only to dial 1-888-4-PLASTIC {1-888-475-2784}.

Ask about what is included in the physician's fee. Does it include anesthesia, conducted by an individual qualified to perform anesthesia? Does it include follow-up visits or touch-ups? What happens if there's a complication? Is the operating room covered in the cost? Are reasonable financing plans available?

During the interview, the plastic surgeon should:

-Answer all of your questions thoroughly and in an understandable way.

-Discuss your motivations and expectations with you, and solicit your reaction to recommendations.

-Offer alternatives, where appropriate, without pressuring you to consider unnecessary procedures.

-Welcome questions about professional qualifications, experience, costs and payment policies.

-Make clear not only the risks of surgery but the possible variations in outcome, If the surgeon shows you photographs of other patients, of uses computer imaging to show you possible results, it should be clear that there is no guarantee that your results will match these.

-Make sure the final decision is yours.

Here are a few general things to look for in the interview:

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Step Four: Time to Choose

If you've done your homework and obtained your surgeon's name from a good source, checked his or her credentials, are satisfied with your initial consultation, and have realistic expectations for the surgery, chances are very good that you'll be happy with the outcome of your plastic surgery. As the society's Plastic Surgery Education Campaign slogan says, "Life is What You Make it."

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Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Qualified Plastic Surgeon

-"Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery."

-"Do you have hospital privileges to perform this surgery? If so, at which hospital?"

-"How many procedures of this type have you performed?"

-"Where and how will you perform my surgery?"

-"Is the surgical facility accredited or in the process of being accredited by a national or state-recognized accrediting organization?"

-"What are the risks involved with my procedure?"

-"How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recover?"

-"Will I need to take time off work? If so, how long?"

-"How much will my procedure cost? Are financing options available?"

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What's Behind a Symbol? A quality plastic surgeon.

When you're looking for a plastic surgeon, make sure he or she displays the twin arcs that form the logo of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). While you might accept "generic" substitutes in your weekly grocery shopping, when you're dealing with the future of your body, you don't want to cut corners. The ASPS symbol of excellence is the sign to look for when you're searching for a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). While other physicians may practice cosmetic surgery, not all may display this prestigious symbol. In order to become an ASPS member, a plastic surgeon must be certified by the ABPS medical board or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Only ASPS members are allowed to display the twin arcs - a symbol of excellence in plastic surgery. The two arcs that are almost, but never quite touching, represent the plastic surgeon's quest for perfection in molding the human form. It's the symbol of searching for the ideal, of striving for beauty. It's the symbol of excellence in plastic surgery. Look for it.

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