Chevy Chase Doctors

Plastic Surgeon Vs. Facial Plastic Surgeon: is There a Difference?

amazed when told by a friend that a plastic surgeon is not the same as a facial plastic surgeon. i always thought facial plastic surgeons do plastic surgery of the face like facelifts, and that they are plastic surgeons that specialize in the face procedures.  plz help me understand the differences, if any!

1) A plastic surgeon is a plastic surgeon

2) A Facial Plastic Surgeon is a Facial Plastic Surgeon

These are 2 completely different specialties with totally different training backgrounds.

A) Facial Plastic surgeons are usually ENT surgeons who went above and beyond and did one more year of training ONLY on the face and neck.  That is 6 years EXCLUSIVELY on the face and neck.

B) Plastic surgeons are either general surgeons who spent 5 years operating inside the abdomen taking out gall bladders and fixing hernias then they spent 2 more years learning plastic surgery of THE ENTIRE body from head to toe.  Or they did a combined program where they did 3 years of general surgery then 3 years of plastic surgery of the entire body.  That includes burn, hands, free flaps, body surgery and face surgery. 

Both of these specialists are "certified" by the ABMS or given equivalency to the ABMS to perform plastic surgery of the face and neck but only the plastic surgeons are certified to perform body plastic surgery.

It is THAT simple.  

The nastiness and bitter words and mudslinging you see by a few ignorant plastic surgeons is just that.  The vast majority of plastic surgeons and facial plastic surgeons are very cordial and work together.  For my practice I have about 6-8 plastic surgeons who defer nosejobs to me and send me their patients who want rhinoplasty and in turn if a patient wants a breast augmentation at the same time as their nose job then we work together (Facial Plastics with Plastics).  There is no bitter rivalry at all.

Know the facts and stay away from people who try to bad mouth others.  

Both specialties have excellent surgeons and both have very lousy surgeons.  Do your homework.

As far as the plastic surgeons on here who keep trying to insult facial plastic surgeons and call us ENTs: Just remember, Michael Jackson's nose and face surgeries were all done by a VERY famous and esteemed Plastic Surgeon! 

Shervin Naderi, MD

Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon

Facial Plastic Surgeons Best for Facial Surgery?

I want to get facial plastic surgery (mini-facelift, bleph, botox).  Should i look at only facial plastic surgeons, or do general plastic surgeons have equal training and credentials?

Don't get too worried about terminology but here are the facts:

1) ENT surgeons spend 5 years of training ONLY on the face and neck.  a quarter of that training is dedicated to cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face and neck

2) Facial Plastic surgeons are usually ENT surgeons who went above and beyond and did one more year of training ONLY on the face and neck.  That is 6 years EXCLUSIVELY on the face and neck.

3) Plastic surgeons are either general surgeons who spent 5 years operating inside the abdomen taking out gall bladders and fixing hernias then they spent 2 more years learning plastic surgery of THE ENTIRE body from head to toe.  Or they did a combined program where they did 3 years of general surgery then 3 years of plastic surgery of the entire body.  That includes burn, hands, free flaps, body surgery and face surgery.  

All 3 of these specialists are "certified" by the ABMS to perform plastic surgery of the face and neck but only the plastic surgeons (#3) are certified to perform body plastic surgery.

These are the facts no matter what anyone else tries to say.  Day is day and night is night.  Be careful and do your homework because there are some GREAT surgeons and some horrible surgeons in all three of the above specialties.  

see the link below

Shervin Naderi, MD

Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon

What Exactly is the ABFPRS?

I am wondering what exactly is the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and what the requirements are to be certified by this board?

The fact is that the ABFPRS has long been given equivalency to the ABPS by all 50 states.  There is a USA  TODAY article that I posted its link below for you.  You can read it.  

The rest is politics and you don't need to worry about politics.  For example Spine Surgeons can come from an Orthopedic surgery back ground or Neurosurgery back ground.  But for some reason the orthopedic spine surgeons dont try to put down the neurosurgeon spine surgeons the way a few general plastic surgeons continue to show they nastiness and ignorance by their remarks about our specialty of FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY.  

Just remember one thing: The esteemed plastic surgeon who destroyed Michael Jackson's nose and face was a BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON just like Dr. Rand and Kasden!  He was even "better" than them because he was the president of the Greater Los Angeles PLASTIC SURGERY society! He was not a Facial Plastic Surgeon! Facial Plastic Surgeons who are certified by the ABFPRS understand the face.  They have no business doing anything on the body (unfortunately a few bad apples do body work) but the vast majority stick to their expertise which is face plastic surgery.  

At the end of the day you have to ask yourself "Do I want a jack of all trades and a master of none? or do I want a specialist!?" 

with that said I will go back and say that within each specialty there are amazing surgeons and very lousy surgeons.  Do not get bogged down by brands.  Do your research and choose the best surgeon, be it facial plastics or plastics.  I have plenty of great colleagues in each specialty that I refer patients to and I have ones in both specialties whose work I have to constantly revise and correct.

Be smart! 

Shervin Naderi, MD

Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon