{"id":10150,"date":"2019-08-05T05:05:40","date_gmt":"2019-08-05T12:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/?p=10150"},"modified":"2021-05-19T07:55:53","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T14:55:53","slug":"realself-verified-blue-checkmark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https://www.realself.com\/news\/realself-verified-blue-checkmark","title":{"rendered":"RealSelf Verified: One Blue Checkmark, 7 Problems Solved"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 10 years ago, we founded RealSelf<\/a>, to provide trusted insight for anyone considering a cosmetic treatment. Our goal: to connect people with one another, with top providers and with all the information you need before making a major life- (or, at least, body)-altering decision.<\/p>

In a world where you can view an operating table on Snapchat and book a cosmetic procedure on Yelp, RealSelf strives to be a trusted, unbiased source of information about cosmetic procedures. On our platform, you’ll find reviews of more than 20,000 healthcare professionals and board-certified doctors. With so many providers<\/a> to choose from, we wanted to narrow the field even more to find you the most responsive, patient-friendly, top-tier professionals. That’s how we came up with the idea for RealSelf Verified<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>

RealSelf Verified is a blue checkmark that stands for something both patients and consumers care about. You’ll find it right next to the doctor’s name on their individual RealSelf page<\/a>. The symbol signifies that a doctor or surgeon has been vetted and has passed a lengthy checklist with flying colors. It means that we’ve taken care of much of the critical consumer-safety research for you, so you can rest assured and book with confidence. Ahead, the consumer concerns that we’re solving with that blue checkmark.<\/p>

Is your doctor in good medical standing?<\/strong><\/h2>

Yes! All RealSelf Verified doctors have an active medical license and are in good standing with their local boards.<\/p>

Is your surgeon really a plastic surgeon?<\/strong><\/h2>

An important reason we’re launching RealSelf Verified<\/a> is to bring transparency to an opaque industry and help patients cut through confusing and misleading information. One of the biggest red flags that consumers may not even recognize is when they come across a doctor who describes themselves as a “cosmetic surgeon.”<\/p>

In the U.S., any medical professional can advertise as a cosmetic surgeon, even if they have no formal training in plastic surgery. Many of these doctors may even advertise that they’re certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery—a board that neither RealSelf nor the plastic-surgery industry at large recognizes as legitimate.<\/p>

If the thought of getting surgery performed by a doctor who is not properly trained sounds scary, consider this: more than half (59 percent) of U.S. women<\/a> don’t know the difference between a real, properly trained plastic surgeon and a general doctor who calls themselves a cosmetic surgeon.<\/p>

That’s why, on RealSelf, we never use the confusing term cosmetic surgeon<\/em>.  Every doctor or surgeon on RealSelf is properly labeled with their primary board certification, to denote their area of medical specialty. Non-board-certified doctors are labeled as “physicians.”<\/p>

Elective surgery is a big decision, which is why RealSelf Verified surgeons have to pass an especially stringent vetting process.<\/p>

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