Plastic surgeons perform both elective cosmetic surgery and surgeries needed for medical reasons. Seemingly minor cosmetic procedures can evolve into life-threatening events. It's important to research your surgeon before going into treatment to make sure that he is fully qualified to do the procedure. Checking multiple resources improves the chances of getting accurate information since each resource has somewhat different information.
Step 1
Look up the doctor on the website of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. All surgeons belonging to this group have completed full training in plastic surgery and are board certified by either the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Step 2
Go to the website of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and check to see if the physician is board certified. This needs to be done because not all board-certified physicians belong to the society of plastic surgeons. If you have any questions, call the board. Sometimes a doctor might not be board certified for technical reasons or from personal choice--board certification is voluntary. Lack of board certification does not necessarily imply this is a bad doctor.
Step 3
Google your doctor. Sometimes information that has not yet reached the level of action by a medical board can be found in online discussions. Assess the information on your own and decide whether it looks like there has been a series of bad events or if the bad reports are due to one or two vindictive patients spreading malicious rumors about the surgeon.
Step 4
Go to the website of the Association of State Medical Board Executive Directors and search for your doctor. Look at the section in the report where it states if she has any complaints against her. Read the report if available. Some doctors have had board actions for minor, nonmedical matters, such as errors in filling out non-essential paperwork. Some doctors, on the other hand, have a long history of negligent medical care or of sexual improprieties.
Step 5
Go to the website of the medical board in your own state. Find it by Googling "medical board" or "medical licensing board" in the state in question. Search for your doctor. The information provided here might be different from what you find in other searches. When in doubt, call the medical board. It's your right as a patient to obtain whatever information is publicly available.
Tips and Warnings
- Plastic surgery is a major procedure. Even minor surgery can go wrong. Make sure your doctor is qualified before committing to surgery. If you feel uncomfortable with the doctor, don't go into surgery. Trust your gut instincts. It's not worth risking your life over a cosmetic procedure.
- Never undergo a procedure in a facility that isn't fully equipped for emergencies. If in doubt, call the state medical board for guidance on this matter.
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