Should a plumber perform a Nose Job? The answer to that question seems obvious to most of us. Absolutely not! But it might surprise you to know that many people in Los Angeles who are thinking about changing their appearance through Plastic Surgery often blindly hire doctors without understanding the expertise required to do their surgery. Too many believe that Los Angeles Plastic Surgeons and Cosmetic Surgeons are one and the same. That’s because those two terms have come to be used interchangeably in our culture when talking about changing one’s appearance through surgery. That is, unfortunately, not the case. Every year, Los Angeles doctors who operate outside of their specialties perform thousands of botched elective procedures. And every year, thousands of qualified, ABPS (American Board of Plastic Surgery)-certified Plastic Surgeon in Los Angeles must fix the problems an unqualified doctor has left behind. What is the difference between a Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon and a Cosmetic Surgeon? First, and most important, is education. While all physicians qualified to perform general surgery must complete 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 3 - 7 years of surgical residency, Plastic Surgeons must also complete 2 years of Plastic Surgery residency in their specialty. This specialty is one of the 24 specialties recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) including Otolaryngology (head and neck Surgery) Rhinoplasty, (nose surgery), Breast Surgery, Liposuction, Cranio-Facial, hand surgery, and many others. That Plastic Surgeon has been trained for two years after his regular surgery residency to specialize in Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery. A “Cosmetic Surgeon”, or one who does not hold ABMS board certification for specialization in Plastic Surgery is simply a physician who has decided to do this surgery despite his lack of certification or training in the field. That is not to say that the doctor is not a surgeon. But, for example, a heart surgeon, who may be the best in his field of repairing leaky valves, may know very little about performing a rhinoplasty and he would be a bad choice for the job. The same can be said for general surgeons or even dermatologists calling themselves “Cosmetic Surgeons”. That’s a fast and loose term meant for the layperson. The word cosmetic should be a big red flag when looking for a Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon to perform Plastic Surgery on you. A Plastic Surgeon will NEVER call him or herself a “Cosmetic Surgeon”. And it should not appear anywhere in their certification or when advertising what they do. Why? Plastic Surgeons have worked too hard and sacrificed too much for that ABMS (American Board of Medical Specialties) board certification. It’s sad to say that uncertified surgeons are performing ‘cosmetic surgery’ because there is big money to be had in that field. And unfortunately, people who hire them don’t perform their due diligence and run a great risk of being disappointed in the results. Likewise, if you’re looking for a Plastic Surgeon to do a nose job on you, look for an ABPS certified surgeon. Many ABPS surgeons have a variety of specialty qualifications and it is worth your while to make sure the Plastic Surgery procedure you want is among them. Some doctors even claim to be members of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. But you should know that board is NOT recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialists (ABMS.) So why not hire an ophthalmologist to do your eyelift surgery? It would seem logical that a doctor who specializes in the eye would be the right one for the job, right? Not necessarily. It may be the case that your ophthalmologist has also gotten his ABMS board certification in cosmetic eye procedures, but unless he can show you his certification in that particular Plastic Surgery specialty, look elsewhere. So why the confusion? Well, the field of Plastic Surgery is undoubtedly one of most lucrative fields in medicine. People want to look good and they’re willing to pay for it. And let’s face it, becoming a board-certified Plastic Surgeon requires a LOT of extra years and education. So, doctors in other specialties sometimes bypass the board-certified Plastic Surgery route and trust their instincts as surgeons. However, to trust them is to risk not only your money, but your results. If you’re thinking of having a plastic surgery procedure done, do your homework. Insist on a Board Certified Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon trained in the specialty you require. Then, you can be assured the results you are looking for. For more information, you can call the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (1-888-4-PLASTIC, 1-888-475-2784) to verify that your preferred surgeon is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon qualified to perform your desired procedure.
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