Staten Island Facelift doctors

A: Facelift in a residency program We all got our start as plastic surgeons performing procedures in the clinic. That said, the programs are no longer giving it away for free and you have to weigh the reduced costs against having an inexperienced surgeon, although under supervision. I see many patients who have gone this route and are then disturbed or surprised when the doctor who has operated on them is no longer accessible--because he or she has moved away to go into private practice.

A: Licensed versus board certified

Every graduate of a medical school who passes Part II of the National Boards is eligible to receive a medical license.  The license makes the holder eligible to practice "medicine and surgery".  It doesn't make him or her qualified or trained to do either.  Board certification in plastic surgery comes after lengthy residencies (in my case, general surgery followed by plastic surgery), a written board examination and a two-day, oral examination involving case presentations.  Plastic surgeons are not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery until they have been in practice for at least two years, which basically puts them 9 years past medical school.  The ABPS is one of the official, national boards under the aegis of the American Medical Association.  It is not a "do it yourself" kind of board which invites and certifies all comers.  So, there is a vast difference between the holder of a medical degree who may have trained and even been certified in pediatrics, internal medicine, etc., etc.  and a board certified plastic surgeon.  As for the Life Style lift, which is basically a superficial face lift, I do have issues with it.  First, my patients describe hard sell techniques, spending much more time with the selling patient coordinator than with the doctor, being unable to reach the physician in the evenings or on weekends, physicians who do not have local hospital privileges, etc.  Some doctors who work for this company fly in and fly out.  Their facilities in New York are not accredited by the Joint Commission, which means that they cannot offer sedation.  One size does not fit all in facial cosmetic surgery so I would be wary of any facility which offers just one or two procedures and is not community based.