What credentials should I look for in a plastic surgeon?

Credentials to look for in a plastic surgeon include certain certifications, for both body and facial procedures. Plastic surgeon Anthony Youn, MD, explains these credentials, and the questions to ask your doctor at your consultation.

Transcript

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Ask the doctor how many of these surgeries he or she performs each year. You also want to ask the doctor if that doctor has

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hospital privileges to perform that operation. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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So if you're thinking about having plastic surgery of your body, then you always want to find a surgeon certified by the American

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Board of Plastic Surgery. Virtually all plastic surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

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And the cream of the crop for cosmetic plastic surgery are also members of the Aesthetic Society, otherwise known as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

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So that's who you want to see if you're having plastic surgery of the body. If you're having plastic surgery of the face, the same groups still apply, but you can also

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consider seeing a surgeon that's certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, as well.

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Anybody that has less than these credentials you want to be wary of, because these are the cream of the crop of cosmetic plastic surgeons.

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A lot of patients ask me, what questions should I ask you, Dr. Youn? in our consultation. There are a lot of questions you should definitely

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ask your plastic surgeon. If you're thinking about having an actual surgery with that doctor, ask the doctor how many of these surgeries he or she performs each year.

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You also want to ask the doctor if that doctor has hospital privileges to perform that operation. In most states, doctors can perform any procedure

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they want to in their office, but hospitals will vet them and not allow them to perform procedures that they're not qualified for.

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You also would want to take a look at their photographs, the before and after photos. You want to make sure that those before and after photographs

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are actually their patients and not a different doctor in the practice or even somebody completely different. So make sure you research your plastic surgeon very carefully.

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It's not as easy as getting your hair done. And it's much more serious if you have a bad result. [AUDIO LOGO]