How to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon

Whatever procedure you are considering, the choice of surgeon influences the outcome and your safety more than any other factor, so it deserves real diligence rather than price-shopping.

Start with board certification specifically in plastic surgery (or, for facial procedures, facial plastic surgery), which signifies rigorous, specialty-specific training and examination, not all doctors performing cosmetic procedures have it. Confirm the surgeon operates in an accredited surgical facility and has hospital privileges for the procedure. Review before-and-after galleries of their actual patients, looking for natural results on people similar to you, and read about their experience with your specific procedure. In consultation, a good surgeon listens, examines you, explains options and risks honestly, and sets realistic expectations rather than promising whatever you ask.

Be wary of red flags: implausibly low prices, pressure to decide quickly, reluctance to discuss credentials or complications, and unaccredited facilities. A surgeon who educates and is transparent is worth more than the cheapest quote. The effort of choosing well, even consulting more than one surgeon, is consistently associated with safer surgery and results patients are happy with for years. Cosmetic surgery is real surgery with real risks; the qualified, experienced, transparent surgeon is the foundation of a good and safe outcome, and selecting that surgeon carefully is the most valuable thing a patient does.

Related reading: What to expect at a plastic surgery consultation.