Should I be concerned with how long my plastic surgeon has been certified?

Hello! Thank you for your question.  Cost will vary among plastic surgeons as well as with geographic location and what procedures exactly they will be providing to you.  Certainly, researching a board certified plastic surgeon well-versed in the procedure(s) you desire is recommended - checking the American Board of Plastic Surgery is a great start. Consult with two or more surgeons who you are happy with their postoperative photographs and those who you, most importantly, feel comfortable and confident with. Use the opportunity to ask questions as well as visit with staff and investigate the accredited facilities they work out of.  I believe fellowship-training, beyond the core plastic surgery residency to be important, as that surgeon has gone above and beyond to seek additional training specific to that area of interest and chosen to gain additional expertise in that area.   Experience should not be measured solely by the age of the surgeon or how many years s/he has been in practice.  Checking the education and training is more valuable - a Board Certified MD plastic surgeon who was accepted to and completed an integrated plastic surgery residency, in today's day and age, are excellent choices. Those are the top students who have superior training at top institutes.  Plastic Surgery is NOT a fellowship...it is a residency. Those surgeons who have actually successfully completed additional fellowship training beyond the plastic surgery residency are also passionate about that area and will likely have the most recent, innovative, and up to date techniques. These are usually the younger surgeons, who are still readily willing and competent to continue to strive for the newest material and remain up to date on literature and conferences. You must decide for yourself who you are most comfortable with and confident with who will meet your goals and expectations. Cost may differ just on expertise and the aforementioned additional training ad what that additional expertise training has afforded to his/her patients.  Hope that this helps!  Best  wishes!

Choosing a board certified plastic surgeon is indeed the first step.A young plastic surgeon may not have appropriate experience.An old plastic surgeon may be too old.Your best option is one that is in the middle of their career and optimally has had additional training in cosmetic surgery beyond the board certification.  

Board certification is absolutely critical in choosing surgeon. Experience is important but so is recency of training, intellectual honesty, and availability to the patient.

Yes and no. With certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery you have the assurance that the doctor is well trained in all aspects of plastic surgery, has gone through a five to seven year general and plastic surgery residency, has been evaluated at every step of the training process, and passed along to become a competent ethical surgeon. The certification process tests the graduate plastic surgeon with comprehensive written and oral examinations by senior experts in the field of plastic surgery.Experience does count a lot, because a lot of good experience is gained by trying to improve one's own outcomes, surgery being a constant educational and honing of skills process.You can use your own judgement, get some referrals, see before and after pictures, and choose your surgeon by the same criteria you would choose a surgeon of any length of certification. Younger surgeons are very eager to do a good job, establish a reputation, and build their careers.

  Some experts are younger than others.   If your surgeon cannot show you many before and after pictures and reviews, then you really need to trust that surgeon.   Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Your plastic surgeon may have attended a top tier medical school, graduated at the top of his or her class, then gone to a prestigious medical university for ten years of training including a plastic surgery fellowship.   A plastic surgeon that elects to undergo a very rigorous training program will not take board before a surgeon who has a shorter course of training. Even with stellar credentials, you need to look at lots and lots of before and after photos and speak to patients to be sure you feel comfortable.Do a lot of homework about your surgeon;s training, expertise, results and of course safety. If you feel unsure about your surgeon, if you feel unsure of any aspect of your surgeons;s training or expertise, or if you feel your surgeon does not understand your goals, keep looking. 

Phrased a different way, you're asking if experience matters. As with all things, the answer is yes. That having been said, it is a long road to become a plastic surgeon, so they generally will have 6-8 years of surgical experience when they graduate. Board certification takes additional time and experience. If they are certified and belong to a major society, they have already crossed some big hurdles.  In the end, it's a matter of trust and confidence in your surgeon.

Please make sure your plastic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  Review their before/after photos, and make sure your procedure will be performed in a fully accredited surgical facility or hospital.  Best wishes,Dr. BasuHouston, TX

Thank you for the question. The most important decision you make when it comes to achieving the outcome you are looking for will be selection of plastic surgeon. Generally speaking, I suggest  patients start their search  with the American Society of Plastic Surgery and/or the Aesthetic Society of Plastic Surgery to obtain a list of well experienced board-certified plastic surgeons.
Then, I would suggest you visit a few surgeons whose practices concentrate on aesthetic surgery. Ask to see lots of examples of their work and preferably speak/see patients who have had similar procedures done.  Again, generally speaking, experience does matter.  Best wishes.

I think Dr. Pousti has given you a very good answer to your question but I would go on several consults before selecting your surgeon. There are many qualified surgeons in your area.

Dr. Corbin