With more and more physicians leaving the insurance side of their practice and entering elective medicine, the line between a Plastic Surgeon and a Cosmetic Surgeon is becoming more confusing. But, in reality, there is a big difference!
Plastic Surgeons complete a minimum of two years of focused training in Plastic Surgery. In contrast, any physician can call themselves a Cosmetic Surgeon... no matter what their background of training is in. In other words, your local "Cosmetic Surgeon" may be an Emergency Room physician who, after buying the latest and greatest laser, now calls himself a Cosmetic Surgeon.
Is this simply a turf war? Absolutely not. The American Board of Medical Specialties (the only official certifying board) does not recognize Board Certification in "Cosmetic Surgery". In addition, Florida just passed legislation requiring physicians who claim themselves to be Board Certified to disclose to the public the area in which they are actually certified.
When looking for a physician to perform your Plastic Surgery, ask them a series of questions. First, ask them about their training, how long they have been Board Certified, and how many Cosmetic procedures they perform in a given year. Ask them about their complication rate and, most importantly, ask to see before/after photos and ask to speak to a patient who has undergone the procedure you are interested in.
Do not be drawn in by cost savings. Many physicians will provide incentives at various times of the year but others always discount prices simply in order to draw in the budget conscious. Keep in mind that it is far more expensive to fix a bad result than to simply get a good result the first time around.
