Copyright (c) 2008 Dave Stringham

1. Qualifications count - Medical professionals in the United States have well-defined, requirements for their professional training in every specialty. Experienced plastic surgeons are accredited by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and belong to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The first thing you need to do is check to make sure the physician you are considering is fully accredited.

1. Qualifications count - Medical professionals in the United States have well-defined, stringent requirements for their professional training in every specialty. Experienced cosmetic plastic surgeons are accredited by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (www.abplsurg.org) and belong to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The first thing you need to do is check on these Web sites to make sure the physician you are considering is fully accredited.

"Board Certified" means a plastic surgeon has been given a Board Certification by an organization called a "Board". This includes formally recognized entities such as the American Board of Plastic Surgery but may include unrecognized or other entities calling themselves "Boards". This can create significant confusion with the terms.

"Board Certified in Plastic Surgery" means that a surgeon has been awarded Board Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Board Certification in Plastic Surgery is awarded only after finishing a formal residency in Plastic Surgery and also passing a rigorous written examination (usually taken 6 or 18 months after completion of all training) and a difficult oral examination which includes cases from a surgeon's own practice (usually taken at least 18 months following completion of all training).

Basic accreditation is only the beginning of assuring a plastic surgeon's qualifications.

Finally, involvement in professional associations indicates that a physician is keeping pace with changes in the profession. Look at the physician's biography to see if he/she is a member of the above professional organizations.

2. Experience counts - The best indicator of how well a plastic surgeon performs a particular procedure is how frequently she/he has performed it in the past. Make sure you ask about the plastic surgeon's experience doing the specific procedure you are considering with the particular techniques she/he is recommending. And don't just get a count. Find out how many of those procedures were successful. Talk to past patients to get a first-hand account of their experience with the physician. View before and after photos and draw your own conclusion.

3. Comfort rules - Even if a physician is fully qualified and experienced with a procedure, that person may not be right for you. You need a physician who communicates openly with you, answers your questions and gives you the time you need to understand the technicalities. You need a physician who appears to have the same expectation for the outcome as you do. Most importantly, you need a person you can trust to advise you when the choices aren't black and white. Be sure you are completely comfortable with your choice of physician so that during stressful periods immediately before, during and after the surgery or procedure, you'll be taken care of the way you need.