Does a non-ENT plastic surgeon have the training to perform turbinate reduction?

Hi.  That is a great question.  All three specialists listed above: Plastics, Facial Plastics, & ENT are all technically trained, qualified and Board Certified to perform rhinoplasty, septoplasty & turbinate reductions.  Who is best comes down to where they trained, how good their "hands" are and how much of these procedures they do on a day to day basis.  Just because you are an ENT it does not mean you are the best at a septoplasty or turbinate reduction but just because you are a plastic surgeon does not mean you are the best at a nosejob.  Michael Jackson's surgeon was a prominent Plastic Surgeon and I see poorly performed septoplasties by some ENT surgeons.  But by enlarge an ENT will be best at internal nasal work: i.e. septoplasty and turbinates.  The fact is many ENT surgeons do more nose jobs than the average plastic surgeon.  But there are some great Plastic Surgeons who truly focus on the nose and know it inside out and can do a great job.  Surgeons like Rollin Daniel or Spencer Cochran or Bahman Guyuron (check name spellings) are Plastic Surgeons who focus on the nose and know it inside and out.  Yet these plastic surgeons are rare.  The average plastic surgeon simply does not get enough nose training (cosmetically or functionally) and does not do that many per year to learn and fine tune their technique.  I hope Dr. Corbin's answer to your question here was a typo because you asked about Turbinates and he replied to you about Tonsils.  Most plastic surgeons do know the difference between a turbinate and a tonsil but by enlarge they just dont get the kind of training and exposure to noses that they get to body procedures.  Add to it the fact some surgeons by nature are cocky and arrogant and do not admit any poor outcome and will never improve due to that.  Septorhinoplasty is a humbling operation and no matter how many you do per year you cannot get them all perfect.  I am the first to admit that not all of my noses turn out amazing but all of them improve and some turn out near perfect.  Its just the nature of Rhinoplasty. Just honest facts. Facial Plastics is a unique specialty that combines ENT and Plastic Surgery and many of these surgeons have the unique ability to do a good job for the nose inside and out.  

The answer is Yes and it depends.  Turbinate reductions is a relatively straight forward procedure and Yes a plastic surgeons should be more than capable to perform the procedure.  That being said you can simply ask your surgeon and they will let you know their comfort levelGood Luck 

I reform turbinate reductions quite routinely and find them very helpful in creating a good airway after rhinoplasty.  It is a straightforward procedure and routine performed by both ENT surgeons as well as plastic surgeons.  I think you should focus on finding a surgeon with whom you are comfortable regardless of which specialty the surgeon is trained in.  Experience if really the most important factor.