Avoiding The Horror Of Botched Plastic Surgery

You’ve heard the stories but wondered if they were true: monstrous divots in the skin after a liposuction procedure gone wrong, breast implants the size of small watermelons (with the resulting discomfort), a stomach that was supposed to be flat but instead turned into a lumpy mess of mass.

The good news is that such stories are still relatively rare; the bad news is that they are all true, and thousands more could be told. A top plastic surgeon and author who appears on CNN has had enough. Dr. Anthony Young is sounding the call to everyone considering plastic surgery: find a board-certified plastic surgeon or be prepared to suffer the consequences.

Plastic Surgery: The Wild West of Medicine?

In a recent news story, Youn called plastic surgery “the Wild West of medicine” due to the increasing number of doctors that are performing invasive cosmetic procedures with little or no training and improper credentials. He believes that this rush into cosmetic surgery has been accelerated due to the economic slowdown in the U.S., as more doctors struggling to make a living offer to do plastic surgery for extra cash. They find plenty of willing customers, but their skill level varies wildly.

Can you imagine a gynecologist doing a facelift or an emergency medicine physician doing breast enhancements? You don’t have to imagine it—it happens all of the time. Here are a couple of immediate indications that the plastic surgeon in Houston that you have enlisted is not a qualified professional:

1. The surgery is not done in a hospital.

Doctors that are not qualified to perform plastic surgery get around a hospital’s requirement that surgeons practice only in their field of expertise by doing cosmetic procedures in their office operating rooms or ambulatory surgery centers. In other words, if you are getting your plastic surgery done somewhere other than in a hospital, the performing surgeon had better have a great reason for the switch.

2. The surgeon is unclear about his/her qualifications and training

If the plastic surgeon in Houston that you have chosen to do your procedure is hesitant to discuss his/her training and unable to show you certificates detailing the credentials that s/he has, consider going somewhere else. Only those physicians who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery have received the type of training that you want in a plastic surgeon in Houston that you can trust. If you are having surgery on your face, The American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery also certifies surgeons. Check for one or both of these certifications before you make final arrangements for your plastic surgery and other surgeries like Sinus Surgery Conroe.

Plastic surgery does not have to have a Wild West feel to it. There are thousands of board-certified, expertly trained surgeons who can do a fantastic job and perform procedures that can greatly improve your appearance and self-confidence.

To find the best plastic surgeon in Houston, ask first about training and credentials before going any further in your discussions about potential surgeries. No one wants an irreparable nose job that doesn’t achieve its purpose or a breast enhancement that ends up looking ridiculous. Educated consumers can turn plastic surgery from The Wild West into a field without unnecessary drama or outlaws.