If you haven’t seen the 2 part article in the USA Today newspaper on Wednesday, 9/14 and Thursday, 9/15 then I highly urge you to get a copy of it. For the first time a national newspaper has reported, in a very well written article, about the risks taken by those patients who undergo cosmetic surgery by a person other than a board certified plastic surgeon. It describes 2 healthy women who died after undergoing routine liposuction by a non-accredited “surgeon”.

For many years Dr. Lazzaro and I have used our weekly TV show to bring attention to potential patients to do your homework and look for a board certified plastic surgeon to do your surgery. In properly trained hands your risk of complications during an elective cosmetic procedure is small and the chance of being satisfied with your results is high. However, every day patients choose to look for bargains or get caught up in cheap marketing schemes by people who aren’t accredited plastic surgeons or, even worse, not even surgeons or medical doctors at all. The truth is that the laws are very relaxed on who can perform “cosmetic plastic surgery”. Did you know there are internists, emergency room physicians, gynecologists, dermatologists and even dentists (oral surgeons) who perform cosmetic surgery? Some of them call themselves “cosmetic surgeons”.

I hope to shed some truth on the confusion in this blog.
First, to be a board certified plastic surgeon means that the doctor has successfully completed an accredited medical school. Next, the doctor has to finish a residency, which is a rigorous training program in an accredited hospital. This training requires 6-8 years to complete. Other doctors who did not complete a plastic surgery training program are trained in another specialty. Meaning their expertise is in another field of medicine. Instead of training for 6 years learning the fine nuances of each procedure these other doctors learn the operations by taking weekend courses. There are actual seminars that can give a crash course in cosmetic procedures over a three day weekend. After completing this weekend course these doctors feel like they can perform these procedures as proficiently as someone who practiced them in training for 6 years. Their level of training is far inferior and they are not trained in sound surgical judgement. Remember these doctors have taken a shortcut in their training which means they have less knowledge and experience when it comes to your care and wellbeing.

Once the training period is over the plastic surgeon has to pass a written exam then undergo a 2 day oral exam to become certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. There is no such examination process for any other doctor performing these procedures. After the trained plastic surgeon has completed a minimum of 5 years experience in private practice and has performed a substantial number of cosmetic procedures, he can then apply for membership in the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. I recommend your surgeon be a member of both societies. Only trained plastic surgeons can be considered for these 2 societies.

The next item that cannot be overlooked is the facility in which the surgeon performs the surgeries. Again the laws are not strict in this regard either. Some surgeons and dentists are performing these procedures in non-accredited procedure rooms. Many of these doctors give the anesthesia as well as perform the operation. The conditions in these “procedure” rooms are not inspected by any governing body and can therefore be outdated, substandard and dirty. To guard against this make sure your surgeon has privileges to perform the same cosmetic procedures he performs in these procedure rooms, in a nearby hospital. No hospital will allow staff privileges to a doctor who is not board certified in the same field. Next be sure the facility where you are to have your procedure has been inspected and accredited. This is a yearly inspection. The credentials you are looking for are JCAHO or AAAASF. These groups have very stringent standards for safety and sterility to assure your safety. In fact our surgery center at Aestique undergoes 3 inspections every year. One by the Pennsylvania Health department, another by AAAASF and also by Life Safety. Lastly, make sure the person responsible for your anesthesia is board certified in anesthesia and is not the operating surgeon.

Remember it’s your health and your body. You should feel comfortable asking the surgeon any question you feel is important and you are entitled to see all of the qualifications of the surgeon and the facility. Beware of the surgeon who gets uptight when you begin asking questions. When in doubt ask others what their experience with the doctor has been. It’s also okay to get other opinions by other board certified plastic surgeons and then choose the surgeon that makes you feel the most comfortable.

I hope this clears some of the confusion. If you have any questions feel free to call or email us at Aestique.

Jeffrey R. Antimarino, MD