If you are contemplating any type of plastic or cosmetic surgery, you should be aware that the success of the procedure and maybe even your survival is dependent upon the skill of the surgeon. Consequently you want the best medical expertise you can find. So you need to do some research to ferret out the most skilled physician. You can begin by asking your primary care doctor for a referral. But don't just ask for a name. Inquire as to how many referrals your doctor has made and if there was any feedback. And your final question should be, "Would you consult this doctor yourself or refer a family member?" Also there is an organization known as the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons and it has an information service that can be accessed through a toll free number. You can call 1-800-635-0635 and tell them the procedure you are interested in, your name and address. They will forward a list of five surgeons in your area who perform the procedure and are board-certified.



Board certification is very important. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is a professional organization in the medical field that certifies those doctors who satisfy their requirements. The doctor must be a graduate of an American medical school and have completed a minimum five-year residency following graduation. The residency should comprise three years of general surgery and two years of plastic surgery. After this, the doctor should have also practiced plastic surgery for two years and passed comprehensive written and oral exams.

The accredited plastic surgery residency program should include two to three years of intensive training in all cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Then you need to inquire whether the physician has hospital privileges and the name of the hospital. Even if most procedures are performed in the doctor's facility, the doctor should be permitted to perform surgery at an accredited hospital. Always verify your information by calling the hospital. You can also ask the hospital for the names of surgeons on their staff who have hospital privileges.

Finally, you need to know how often the surgeon has performed the procedure you are contemplating having. And you should ask how long it has been since the last time it was done. An experienced surgeon should be doing the procedure you are interested in several times a month. No more than six months should have intervened since it was last done. By this time you should have at least three candidates to meet in person so you need to schedule a consultation. Ask for the price of the consultation prior to scheduling your appointment. During the consultation, ask for recommendations about the procedure you are seeking. The doctor should show you before and after pictures his work and have previous patients available for reference. Good doctors are proud of their work and never hesitate to exhibit it. The doctor should also be very comfortable answering questions about qualifications, training, costs, procedures, risks and outcomes. The doctor should make all explanations in language you can understand, wait for you to take notes and never pressure you in any way.