Choosing A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon In San Francisco
Your final result from plastic surgery will be determined far more by your choice of plastic surgeon than by which facelift technique is used or which breast implant you choose. Not only is this your most important choice, it is also the hardest one to make. One thing on your side is that this is elective surgery, and totally non-urgent. If you make a pact with yourself to wait until you are 100% comfortable, you will have the breathing space to choose the right plastic surgeon for yourself.
Realize that there are two sets of issues to look at, one objective, and the other subjective. Objectively, you must determine that the plastic surgeon is safe and well-trained. Only after they have cleared that hurdle, can you look at the subjective criteria, namely whether the doctor's ability, aesthetic, style, and approach is a good match for you.
To "clear" a doctor, you must do the following:
Assure that the doctor is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This is the only board recognized to credential plastic surgeons. Beware of "bogus" boards - mail order certificates to hang on the wall, as well as people who are board certified, but not in plastic surgery specifically.
Check to be sure that the doctor is a member in good standing in the three major plastic surgery societies, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the California Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Be sure that the plastic surgeon operates in a fully licensed and accredited surgical facility. Believe it or not, some doctors today - in violation of state law - still attempt to do surgery in facilities that are not licensed.
Look into the status of the doctor's medical license. In California, visit www.docboard.org/ca/df/casearch.htm
Though in no way required to be a bonafide and respected plastic surgeon, you may want to check to see if the plastic surgeon is also certified by the American Board of Surgery. Prior to specializing in plastic surgery, most plastic surgeons train as general surgeons, which includes trauma surgery, thoracic surgery, vascular surgery, surgical critical care, breast cancer surgery and much more. Being certified by the American Board of Surgery indicates that the plastic surgeon has been recognized for their proficiency in these subjects. Even though the plastic surgeon may "only" be removing fat or pulling skin tighter, knowledge that they have the firmest possible foundation and experience in the science of surgery may be meaningful to some plastic surgical patients.
