The Importance of Choosing a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Your body is an amazing thing. All of its parts work together so flawlessly, like gears in a clock. So when it comes to making alterations, you can’t be too picky. You need a plastic surgeon who knows what he or she is doing, so you can be confident you will come out of surgery completely thrilled with the results – not regretting a botched operation. This is why you need to consider one important factor when choosing a plastic surgeon: board certification.

Why Choose a Board Certified Surgeon?

Board certification essentially means that a doctor has been examined and met certain standards of training and experience. This creates a high level of excellence and accountability, so you’re assured the best quality treatment by an expert in his or her field.

When you select a board certified surgeon, you’re guaranteed that your doctor has the following qualifications:

• High level, up-to-date training: One of the standards set by the board is that their doctors meet specific educational standards. They must attend an accredited school for a number of years, and pass oral and written examinations to receive their certification. In addition, they must stay up-to-date on the newest advances and procedures, so that their patients always receive cutting edge care.
• Extensive experience: No one wants to undergo plastic surgery by a surgeon who has only a limited amount of hands-on training. Board-certified surgeons are required to have years of experience in a residency program in their field. When you go under the knife of a board-certified surgeon, you can be encouraged by the fact that they have performed these procedures many times before and can give you the best possible results.
• Elevated ethical standards: Gaining board certification isn’t the quick and easy route, so you know that a certified specialist is actually in the business of helping people – a crucial trait for any physician.
• Knowledge of how to handle an emergency: Even plastic surgeries occasionally have complications. If an emergency situation should arise, your physician needs to have the preparation and training necessary to deal with it. Board certified surgeons have this knowledge, so you’re always in good hands.

How to Find a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

So it seems that board certification is a pretty important quality for your plastic surgeon to have. But how do you go about finding one? There are a few methods you can use.

Visit the American Society of Plastic Surgeons site, and you can do a search to find board-certified plastic surgeons in your area. For instance, for specialists in the Houston area, simply input the city name into the search bar or use your zip code and you’ll receive a list of all the highest quality plastic surgeons, along with details about what types of procedures they specialize in.

If you already know of a surgeon in your area, but you’re not sure if they’re certified, you can instead search by the doctor’s name. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is another board that certifies plastic surgeons, and you can use their search engine to see if a nearby doctor is a board certified.

To get the best plastic surgery procedure, you need the best plastic surgeon available. Be sure to examine your surgeon’s credentials to ensure that they are board certified. After all, enhancing your body is a life-altering decision; choose your surgeon wisely, and you’ll have a safe and successful surgery.