Is it safe to choose a surgeon for a mommy makeover who isn’t certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?

Let’s flip this question and talk about what it takes to become a board certified plastic surgeon
1. At least 6 years of surgical residency focused on plastic surgery
2. A written board exam you must pass
3. An oral exam you must pass evaluating your ability to take care of the full spectrum of plastic surgery as well as review of cases performed by the surgeon
4. Mandatory ethics and safety guidelines to follow with regard to patient care and surgery
5. The American Board of Plastic Surgeons is one of only 23 boards under the umbrella of the American Board of Medical Specialties. Let me assure you the board of cosmetic surgery has no plan of joining the ABMS because their education, certifying exams and physician oversight do not meet the standards of the organization.

Apparently there are also individuals who have finished plastic surgery training who have not passed the first step of board certification- the written board exam - but pass themselves off as plastic surgeons.

I hope this answers your question about why you should seek a board certified plastic surgeon. You can find one at plasticsurgery.org.

My suspicion is by the very that you are asking this question that you are concerned about your surgeons’ credentials. American Board of Plastic Surgery certified surgeons are the ONLY surgeons who received training in palstic surgery of the breast and body… period. The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is not a true board… they are not recognized by the American Baord of Medical Specialties (the governing board that oversees ALL accepted board certifications. Cosmetic surgeons can come from any specialty and there are no standardized training requirements as those of us who are ABPS certified went through. There is no substitute for proper training… you wouldn’t go to a dentist for a PAP smear, don’t do that for your plastic surgery.

It is most advisable to choose a certified aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgeon, since they initially have training in general medicine, subsequently complete a postgraduate degree in general surgery and subsequently perform a subspecialty in plastic surgery, which equips the surgeon in a more comprehensive way to resolve possible complications. The cosmetic surgeon does not have the academic training that fully supports him, he can possibly perform surgeries with less experience, however, when surgical complications arise, the certified reconstructive aesthetic plastic surgeon will have more experience and knowledge to resolve them.