How do I find the best doctor?

This is difficult because of the vast array of doctors who now offer aesthetic services but who may have never had formal residency training. This is a "buyer beware" scenario of the highest order because it involves your body, your face and your health and safety. The law does not restrict MDs from doing cosmetic surgery even if they have not had proper training in it.

The best ways to search the right doctor for you are to start by asking friends and physicians for recommendations. Research the credentials of the doctor and then set up a consultation. At that visit be sure you spend ample time with the doctor. I personally spend an hour with each new patient. Usually, free consultations are a red flag because they will involve minimal time with the doctor and you won't have the opportunity to assess that individual completely.

Make certain that the doctor has extensive experience in the procedure you are interested in having and performs it frequently. Ask for patient referrals.

Multiple un-retouched photos of patients having the same procedure as you want are the next key step. You must see in those photos results that reflect what you are wanting for yourself. Remember that you are seeing that doctor's very best work so don't hope you will get a better result than you are seeing in the photos.

Finally, do not schedule surgery unless your gut instinct tells you it is appropriate.

I don't  think that there is any one "best doctor" to choose for most procedures.  If you are choosing a plastic surgeon, I  would check to see if the surgeon you are choosing is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and is affiliated with the American Society of Plastic Surgery and/or the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.  Once you have checked this physician's credentials, I would talk to friends who have used that surgeon and see if they were happy with their results. AS well that they were happy with their treatment by both the doctor and by his/her staff.  All these things are important.  My goal with my patients is to provide them with a great, natural result and to give them the best care and to ensure that their needs are attended to by both me and my staff.

Finding the right doctor to perform your plastic surgery is now both easier than ever, and yet more complicated. The upsurge in popularity of cosmetic surgery has attracted hordes of poorly-trained and unqualified physicians looking to make a quick buck, or to leverage their existing patient base into a new source of income free of insurance reimbursement restraints. Combined with the increasing numbers of well-trained, board-certified surgeons and dermatologists coming from approved university programs, patients are bombarded with choices when it comes to selecting a doctor for their Botox injections, Liposuction, or Breast Augmentations, and everything in between.

Traditionally, patients have relied on word-of-mouth referrals when researching doctors to provide care for themselves or a family member. A happy former patient who is willing to share his or her positive experience of treatment by a physician is the gold standard referral for prospective new patients and the treating cosmetic surgeon alike. And yet, in this competitive current environment saturated with providers, anyone you ask may be able to name from five to ten providers of distinct or overlapping cosmetic services from whom to choose. A patient walking into any medical building in Beverly Hills is likely to encounter a building directory with up to 25 or more cosmetic service providers in the various specialties, all of whom may do Botox or other injections, while some may perform only facial cosmetic surgery, and others perform plastic surgery of the face, breast, and body.

So, although word-of-mouth referrals are valuable, they are also a bit like copying someone else’s homework - you may or may not arrive at the right answer, and you didn’t put any effort into the learning process.

The Internet has become the most powerful tool in the patient’s armamentarium when it comes to researching potential providers of cosmetic services. At the same time, the Internet has become a vast swamp of competing, eye-catching advertisements. In the pre-Internet age, competing Yellow Pages ads attempted to lure patients, based on the size of the ad and the size of the marketing budget. Now, patients may find a doctor through a variety of portals, links, blogs, etc. How does a patient navigate the web haystack to find the needle?

I believe the best answer is a combined approach. Starting with family, friends, and co-workers, prospective patients should develop a list of word-of-mouth referrals to begin their own research. These are the people whose judgment you are most likely to trust.

From there, patients should comb the Internet, focusing on those doctors on the word-of-mouth list, to verify the training and credentials of the doctor. Board Certification status, as well as any disciplinary actions against the doctor by the Medical Board, can and should be researched before you schedule a consultation. Websites which are sponsored by the various surgical sub-specialty groups generally require their members to have attained board certification as a condition of listing on the site.

The final phase of selecting your physician involves scheduling a consultation visit. Although you may be asked to pay a reasonable consultation fee for the doctor’s time, I encourage patients to see more than one potential provider. Your ultimate satisfaction with the experience will involve your level of comfort and rapport with your chosen doctor, his staff, and the office environment, none of which can be evaluated from the website, so this is money well-spent. Your doctor should explain your options in clear language that you understand, and you should have the opportunity not only to look at “before and after” photos, but also to speak with former or current patients of the doctor if this will assist you in reaching your decision to enter into a doctor-patient relationship.

Happy hunting!

Regardless of what the residency diploma on the wall says, the most crucial factor in selecting a doctor is the quality and quantity of recent experience in the procedure or area in which you are interested.

This means you should look for someone with a lot of experience in the procedure or area in which you are interested using up-to-date techniques, with successful results. It is also helpful if the doctor has experience working with features similar to yours, especially if you are from an ethnic background other than Caucasian.

So, how do you find that "someone"?

• Personal references from people you know who have had similar experiences, recommendations from your doctors (family doctor, ob-gyn, opthalmologist, dentist, etc)
• Message boards (but beware because you can't always believe everything you read)
• Referrals from medical and specialty boards and professional organizations are all good places to start. Of course, you can do a lot of research yourself by calling doctors' offices and going on consultations.

Eventually, you're going to have to make a decision after you've gathered all the information necessary until you feel comfortable that you've found "the one." The fact that you're reading this article shows that you're heading in the right direction.

Don’t be frightened to ask or find out about your surgeon, and there are several important aspects about your surgeon’s credentials that you should check.

Firstly, check to see that your surgeon is on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council (GMC) at this web site – https://webcache.gmc-uk.org/ods/home.do

This means that if your surgeon is a specialist plastic surgeon, it will state “Plastic Surgery” on the web site of the GMC. For example, if you go to this website and look up the surgeon “Taimur Shoaib”, you will see that this surgeon is listed in the specialist register as a plastic surgeon. You can check your surgeon there too.

You should also look for membership of various organisations, such as BAAPS (The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) and BAPRAS (The British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons). Many organisations such as these only allow surgeons who have had training up to the high level of skill required for a UK Consultant to join them.

You can also ask the surgeon if he’s ever worked as a substantive consultant in the NHS; many surgeons have worked as locum consultants as there is no regulation for these positions, but all substantive consultant positions are strictly regulated and controlled.

Your surgeon should also have regular experience in the procedure you’re looking to have. Many surgeons will have areas of expertise and experience, and you should try and find a surgeon who specialises in your particular problem.

Lastly, make sure you trust your surgeon. If things just don’t feel right, have a consultation with someone else.

Be very wary of answering advertisements and rely on personal recommendations or reputable independent advisory sites.

For those unable to obtain a personal recommendation the Internet provides an easy access to resources.

To check your clinic of choice is fully registered: http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk

For plastic surgery in general:

• It is a smart idea to consult with several plastic surgeons before making such a big decision as to who to perform your surgery.
• It is also important to find a surgeon that you feel comfortable with, listens to your desires, and spends time answering all of your questions. They must be board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
• Go with the surgeon who is board-certified, has staff privileges at a major hospital, and makes you feel comfortable from the moment you enter his or her office for the initial consultation to the moment you leave the office after the surgery is completed.
• He or she should be open to answering all of your questions, showing you pre- and post-operative photos of his or her work, and letting you speak to a past patient who has had the procedure done.

For breast augmentation:

• You should discuss size, type of implant, and desired results with your surgeon prior to surgery to ensure that you are both in agreement as to your desires and expectations.
• When considering breast augmentation, it is important to do your research. Make sure you are obtaining accurate information from a reliable source in your search.

For rhinoplasty:

• Try to find a surgeon who performs the procedure regularly and is properly trained and credentialed to perform plastic surgery of the nose (American Board of Plastic Surgery or American Board of Otolaryngology).

Choosing your doctor is the most important decision you will make about injectable beauty treatments of any kind.

Your prescribing doctor should hold one of these qualifications:

Plastic Surgeon

Your plastic surgeon would be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of either or both the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Facial Plastic Surgeon

Your facial plastic surgeon would be certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and be a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeon

Your ophthalmic plastic surgeon would be certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dermatologist

Your dermatologist would be certified by the American Board of Dermatology or the American Osteopathic Board of dermatology and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology.

All Physicians

Your doctor should also have recent continuing medical education (CME) to be abreast of the latest injectable techniques, and should inject patients just like you on a regular basis (several patients weekly).

In some states, a nurse may administer your injections as prescribed by a physician.

People in the clothing and fashion business are excellent resources for referrals. Hairstylists also are excellent resources, as they have a captive audience and they “see it all.” I would also trust referrals from other physicians, nurses, and former patients. Avoid fancy marketing ploys and gimmicks and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

• Please make sure that the surgeon you are considering is board certified for their particular specialty.
  • If you are seeking facial surgery then see a board certified facial plastic surgeon or a board certified plastic surgeon and if you are seeking body surgery then see a board certified plastic surgeon.
• Also it’s important to make sure you have seen good work from that surgeon and ask to speak to past patients of that doctor. Remember photos are easy to fudge so to speak.
• Most importantly, don’t chose your surgeon based on advertisements or cheap prices. The old adage “you get what you pay for” has never been more true.

• A person should start by asking friends and family who may have had procedures done.
• Another great source is the family physician.
• Finally, an internet search for physicians in the area can also be of help. The person should then develop a list of possible physicians and consult with several of them. Here is a important list that must be checked off:

1. Did you feel comfortable with the physician?
2. Is he board certified ( American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery – www.abfprs.org , American Board of Plastic Surgery www.surgery.org )?
3. Does he perform the procedure often?
4. Can he provide patient referrals for you to contact them?
5. Has he had problems with the state board of medicine?
6. Does he have hospital privileges for the procedures he is performing?
7. If he is performing the procedure in his office, is it certified and accredited?

The first step in choosing someone for your cosmetic treatment is to investigate credentials.

• The person administering your treatment should be well versed in the latest technologies and procedures and should be able to answer your questions in a thoughtful and concise manner.
• This same person should also be able to clearly outline what they can and what they cannot accomplish for you.
  • This is probably the most important part of the conversation because expectations set the stage in helping you decide what it is that will help you achieve your goals and how close to these goals that you can get.

• The best way to prevent botched surgery is to do your research when selecting a surgeon.
  • You always want to work with an experienced board certified plastic surgeon.
  • Your doctor should be board certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery.
• My recommendation is to also ask for several before and after pictures, and make sure the surgeon you are meeting with has experience with facelifts.
• Also, the goal of facelifting should be restoring the facial volume, not pulling the skin back – that is old thinking.
• Talk to your surgeon in detail before making a decision!

When choosing a medical spa, get referrals from someone whose results that you have seen and please make certain that these medical practitioners have been officially trained and have all the correct certifications and board affiliations. You must always choose the best caregivers for your face. After all, it is your well being that we are looking after.

The medical spa environment ensures that a patient will be seen by both an esthetician and a medical doctor. It is this combination of service that enables a client to get the best possible treatment. Over time, a client is able to build a long and trusting relationship with the medical spa team.

Your skin should be cared for by a licensed skin care specialist who is working in a medical spa environment.  This type of practitioner has had extensive training and certification and also has the wide range of services available to choose the correct treatment for your skin.