Plastic Surgery Board Certification Matters

Cosmetic plastic surgery procedures and injectable treatments are more popular today than ever before. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) which has kept statistics since 1992, the number of procedures performed per year has increased significantly since 2000 for many types of cosmetic surgery. Breast augmentations have increased by 37%, tummy tucks (abdominoplasty) by 104%, buttock lift/augmentation by 213%, among others. As a result of this popularity, unfortunately there are many practitioners offering cosmetic treatments, even in the United States, who may not be board-certified plastic surgeons.

What is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon?

By definition, a board-certified plastic surgeon has completed medical school, plastic surgery residency training (usually 6 years) and has passed written and oral board examinations. They are then board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. There exists a board certification for each medical specialty, but only the American Board of Plastic Surgery makes someone a plastic surgeon. Especially on newer forms of media like Instagram, I have seen cosmetic practitioners claiming to be “board-certified”, but they are not board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. A recent study published in The Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that only 17.8% of those using plastic surgery-related hashtags on Instagram were actually board-certified plastic surgeons. Below, I list a few ways to confirm that a physician, or practitioner, is a board-certified by, or more formally a diplomate of, the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

• Look at the practitioner’s bio and look for the words “board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery”. If you do not see “American Board of Plastic Surgery”, you should assume the practitioner is not a plastic surgeon.
• Look on the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Find A Surgeon Tool. All board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States are members of this society, and the tool lists all members.

Side note: a “board-certified cosmetic surgeon” is not the same as a board-certified plastic surgeon. All reputable board certifications are approved and regulated by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), but this cosmetic surgery “board-certification” is not. And, while there is some debate, it is not generally regarded as an equal certification. These practitioners may only have one year of surgical training versus at least six years for a board-certified plastic surgeon. Fellowship-trained board-certified plastic surgeons like myself have seven years of training. The fellowship is an extra year of specialized training within plastic surgery, and I completed mine at New York University (NYU).

Additional Surgical Qualifications

• The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS): Membership in this organization is the defining achievement for a cosmetic plastic surgeon, and I still remember the day I was selected! Only approximately 30% of board-certified plastic surgeons are able to become members due to its strenuous membership requirements. These include completing at least 75 cosmetic surgery cases in an 18 month period and be thoroughly vetted by existing members of the society for professionalism and ethics.
• Fellow of the American College of Surgeons: The American College of Surgeons is a national organization that spans all surgical specialties. Surgeons must be nominated by a regional group of their peers. For example, my application was approved by a group of surgeons in the New York City metro area. Membership in this surgical society ensures that a physician has some sort of surgical training, but it may not be in plastic surgery.

Why does board-certification matter?

• Cosmetic surgery is significant surgery and is performed all over the body. Your surgeon should be trained in all manner of surgical complications both intraoperatively or postoperatively. I have unfortunately had to care for complications or to correct issues for those who have undergone surgery both internationally and here in the New York area by non-plastic surgeons.
• Non-plastic surgeons may be willing to perform procedures in conditions that a board-certified plastic surgeon would not. For example, recently on social media a “celebrity” physician showed liposuction results and advertised that they performed this procedure under local anesthesia in the office. There are very limited circumstances where I would perform liposuction in the office under local, and this type of procedure was not one of them. Generally speaking, liposuction should be performed in the operating room. Hospitals and surgery centers will generally only credential, or grant access, to board-certified plastic surgeons to perform cosmetic surgery procedures. As a result, non-standard practitioners, even if they are legitimately board-certified outside of plastic surgery or in a non-surgical specialty, will not have access to an operating room and will have to perform a surgical procedure in their office.
• Injectable treatments are increasingly performed by physicians’ assistants (PA) or nurse practitioners and are often offered more cheaply as such. These practitioners must be overseen by a physician, but there is a large degree of variation as to the level of oversight. If you plan to visit a practitioner such as this due to cost, I would suggest you inquire as to the presence of the overseeing physician and their role. Sometimes, these practitioners are not equipped to handle complications from injectables, such as an allergic reaction. I generally perform all injectable treatments with Botox or hyaluronic acid fillers like Juvederm or Voluma myself for this reason. And, I am often contacted by prospective patients to correct issues from those who received substandard treatment from a non-board-certified plastic surgeon.

How can I find a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon for my procedure?

Generally speaking, you will be in good hands for a cosmetic procedure as long as you visit a board-certified plastic surgeon. If you are not able to visit us at Zuckerman Plastic Surgery in New York City, I would strongly suggest that you browse the ASPS’ Find A Surgeon Tool as suggested above. To find an expert in your desired procedure, visit their website and browse before and after images. Check that they seem to have a range of good results from different kinds of patients and levels of case difficulty for your desired procedure. For specific tips along these lines for breast augmentation as an example, visit my 5 Tips For Finding Your Best Breast Augmentation Surgeon. During your consultation, ask them how often they perform your procedure and what they consider their own specialties within plastic surgery to be. Plastic surgery is to some extent artistry, and more practice does make for better aesthetic surgical results.