Hi there-You would never consider allowing an eye doctor to perform a heart operation on you, would you?While this may be an extreme example with greater risks than a facelift, the principle is the same- an eye doctor (even one with an additional year of training in plastic surgery around the eye) is simply not trained to do this kind of surgery at the level that a surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery is.Even if you argue that they did a few facelifts in their training (seems unlikely), this was under the supervision of (guess what) another eye doctor!Even greater than the concern that I have over someone with inadequate training performing plastic surgery procedures on the public is the concern that in doing so they are informing us about their ethics and morals, and not to a positive conclusion.Why would someone with training in ophthalmology and plastic surgery of the eye want to do a facelift?Is it because they had a vision from God telling them they needed to take up the scalpel?Let's be real- the only motivation possible is $$$Furthermore, what does this interest in facelift surgery say about their abilities and reputation as eye doctors?Are they not able to succeed as eye doctors, even though this was the primary focus of their training? What does this say about their ability to do a facelift on you- a procedure in which they have even less training?Caveat Emptor (buyer beware).
This is an excellent question that provides an opportunity to educate interested patients about the extensive training of oculoplastic surgeons.An oculoplastic surgeon that completed an accredited fellowship has demonstrated proficiency in facelifting by definition of the ASOPRS (American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery) requirements. In order to demonstrate proficiency after a 2-year fellowship, these surgeons have submitted a sufficient number of facelift cases.Not all oculoplastic surgeons have practices that are cosmetically oriented, but many of those that perform cosmetic procedures currently have hospital privileges in facelifting and many of them have acquired additional fellowship training in cosmetic procedures.www.ASOPRS.org is a good resource to learn more about oculofacial plastic surgery.
