3 Things You Should Know About Your Plastic Surgeon

Are you or someone you know preparing to have plastic surgery in the near future? Do you feel comfortable with your knowledge about your surgeon? If not, chances are you are not the first person who went under the knife with a surgeon that you haven't checked out appropriately. In fact, more often than not, patients trust that their doctors are not only who they say they are, but that they are also appropriately credentialed and trained to perform the duties associated with their jobs. While trust is noble, you must not take for granted the fact that in today's world, malpractice and fraud can lead to severe, perhaps even deadly consequences for you and those who care about you. In an effort to diminish said consequences, you can and should inquire about pertinent information pertaining to your surgeon before you go under the knife. It is the intention of this article to discuss 3 things that you should know about your plastic surgeon in an effort to ensure that your procedure is as safe as it should be. 

The first and perhaps most obvious thing that you should know about your plastic surgeon is their current board certification status. Board certification status is highly critical in ensuring your safety in a cosmetic procedure, as when your surgeon is certified he/she is held accountable to specific standards as predetermined by a governing board. If your surgeon is not board certified by any of the major governing organizations overseeing the plastic surgery industry, you should immediately conclude your relationship with him/her to protect yourself from being taking advantage of. Another thing that you should know about your plastic surgeon is their years of training and experience with the specific procedure you are seeking. Just as people overstate the years of training and experience on their resumes, so do doctors. While you can always ask your surgeon how many years he/she has been practicing a specific procedure, you can also search databases on websites such as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery to learn details about your surgeon. The third thing that you should know about your plastic surgeon is their status of outstanding malpractice suits. Believe it or not, finding out information pertaining to malpractice suits and fraud is easier to find in this day and age. Going to websites like patientsrighttoknow.org is an excellent source to research a particular surgeon and the status of his/her outstanding malpractice suits. It should go without saying that said information can be critically influential in helping you to determine the credibility of a surgeon.

Regardless of whether or not this is your first plastic surgery or not, it is critical that you take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety. This is particularly true with respect to checking out the plastic surgeon that will be performing your procedure. Specifically, you should know 3 things about your surgeon, including: their current board certification status, their years of training and experience with the specific procedure you are seeking as well as their status of outstanding malpractice suits.