Best Plastic Surgeons

Hugo Gallegos 

Doctors are salespeople too.

With many plastic surgeons riding the bandwagon in the booming plastic surgery industry offering-an array of different surgical procedures-it's up to patients to find the best plastic surgeon to assist them with their medical needs.

Who can I trust to find me the best plastic surgeon?

Yourself! knowledge is power only when you use it. The more information you know about your surgeon and surgery, the more likely your chances of having a successful operation. If a company claims to have the best plastic surgeons “database,” find out everything you can about the company. Does the company specialize in researching only the best doctors? Remember, there are many web sites: anyone can have a doctor database. The question is, do doctors pay to be listed in their database? Do they actually research every single doctor? Is the company a credible source?

Where are the best plastic surgeons located?

Nowadays, you find them in the smallest to the biggest cities. The five most popular states where plastic surgeons practice are Florida, New York, California, Texas, and Illinois.

What should I look for when shopping for a plastic surgeon?

• Always make sure the surgeon is an MD who is a board-certified plastic surgeon.
• Find out if the surgeon is fellowship trained in plastic surgery or in a field relevant to their current specialty.
• Spas and Salons are spreading like wild fire…use caution and research your plastic surgeon thoroughly.
• Go to Google and type the plastic surgeon's name. Search for surgeons that pioneered a surgical procedure, wrote publications, taught Med students, etc. Often times, this information is displayed online.
• How many years of practice does the plastic surgeon have under their belt?

How do I select the best plastic surgeon for me?

Many services and even magazines often times list the best doctors according to surveys conducted. Their surveys are usually based on doctors who are voted by their peers. Though it's a good starting point, it's only one component in finding the best plastic surgeons.

Here's why:

• Surgeons are extremely busy and rarely participate in these types of surveys, so results are limited.
• Surgeons can nominate their buddies and ask them to return the favor, to attract new clientele.
• Some surgeons are asked to nominate one of their peers in a certain area only.

What are the 4 Critical Components in finding the best plastic surgeons?

• Education – They earned a degree from an accredited medical school.
• Experience – How many cosmetic surgeries have they performed?
• Recognition – Are they well recognized among their peers, patients, and medical societies, and/or involved in their communities?
• Training – Does their residency and/or if fellowship focus on plastic surgery?

Bottom line:

When having plastic surgery you will be looking at your surgeons work for the rest of your life. Doing a little homework could be a wisely investment.