How to tell if a Plastic Surgeon is Legitimate

When getting advice about finding a good plastic surgeon, what does everyone tell you first? In my experience, I heard, "make sure they're certified." That's great advice, but I needed to find out what kind of certification the best cosmetic surgeon Los Angeles offers has, what the certification means and how it affects a surgeon's performance and standards. During my search I learned a lot about what to look for and what not to settle for. I learned about what certification means for a physician and a patient. After extensive research and digging, I narrowed down my choices of doctors based on the information I learned about their education, certifications, performance record and results.

All doctors within US borders must be "certified" to practice medicine at all. There is a board certification for every type of medical practice imaginable for doctors who actually specialize in something more than general medicine. So when a doctor's advertisement highlights the fact that they are certified it doesn't really say much, other than they are, in fact, doctors. However, when you are looking specifically for a plastic surgeon, extra certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons does mean something. It tells you that the doctor is specialized in plastic surgery, and they are good enough at their specialty to get the seal of approval from a very picky agency.

A simple Google search of these boards will tell you who the members are and who aren't members. If a dermatologist is trying to get you to have a cosmetic procedure done with them, run in the other direction unless they are certified as plastic surgeons as well as dermatologists. The US government doesn't require doctors to be specialized in certain areas to perform certain procedures. They only require that they be doctors with minimal certification and no specialization whatsoever. Therefore, many doctors who don't specialize in plastic surgery convince patients to have a procedure done with them when they are not the best doctors for the job. So what does that tell you? Find a doctor who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons and are proven to have a specialty in aesthetic surgery.

While price is a huge factor when deciding on which surgeon to choose, if you see a clinic or practice that charges a lot less for procedures like rhinoplasty, breast augmentation or liposuction, this is a good sign that they've got a doctor who isn't certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery performing plastic surgery. Steer clear of places like this.

Dr. Calvert is an excellent plastic surgeon, who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He has his CV and his credentials are prominently displayed on his website and provides his visitors with plenty of back up information about how to find the best surgeon for your needs. You can visit his website at http://ping.fm/6fCAX