Tips for Selecting a Plastic Surgeon

Tips for Selecting a Plastic Surgeon


If you are considering plastic or cosmetic surgery, you should not overlook the importance of selecting the appropriate physician. 

Board Certification

All plastic surgeons have different qualifications and specializations. You should try to find a plastic surgeon that has earned certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which have unique qualifications and are specially trained. They have also proven to provide the very best patient care with the lowest number of complications.


You should not assume that all doctors that make the claim that they are “board certified” have the same type or level of training. You need to find physicians that have the specific certification, and avoid being fooled by other professional sounding certifications.


When you find a doctor that is certified by the ABPS, it means that they have met certain requirements, which include:

  • Earned a degree from an accredited medical school;
  • Have completed a minimum of three years in general surgery;
  • Have completed a period of two to three years in a supervised residency for plastic surgery;
  • Have had at minimum two years of a professional practice;
  • They passed the oral and written exams.

Check the Plastic Surgeons Record

You should contact the state’s medical board to find out about the plastic surgeons record. You will be able to find out any disciplinary actions that have been taken against the cosmetic surgeon. You can obtain a record of the surgeons past disciplinary actions and ensure that any issues were resolved successfully. You should also ensure that the surgeon you choose is licensed to practice medicine in the particular state.


Ask about Hospital Privileges

This is extremely important, since hospitals complete background checks. If they do not have any hospital privileges, then this should be a red flag. The hospital knows what a surgeon is doing and if there are any issues that would result in them not being allowed to work at that particular hospital. Additionally, if you experience any type of complication, you will have a place to go, where you doctor can treat you.


Understanding the main things to look for when you are selecting a plastic surgeon can make the decision process much easier, and provide you with valuable insight to ensure that you are using a professional provider that will achieve superior results.


Surgery is very demanding branch in terms of patient satisfaction. Amongst surgery, plastic surgery is dealing only with cosmetic aspect of surgical wound. So all patients who wants plastic surgeon are aware of cosmetic importance of wound. This makes this branch very precise. Burns, liposuction, facial enhancement, breast reconstruction, flap surgeries during malignancy etc are commonly done surgeries by plastic surgeons. So better to choose your plastic surgeon who has great experience and surgical hand.

Reviewed By:

Dr. Kaushal M. Bhavsar (MBBS, MD)

Assistant Professor in Pulmonary Medicine, GMERS Medical College, Ahmedabad