Beverly Hills Doctor Says Do Research

One of the first steps in having successful plastic surgery requires patients to research doctors that perform their procedure of choice.

Patients should ask family and friends for advice about doctors they visited in the past. A general practitioner can also recommend a specialist to patients. Online reviews are also a big help when researching a doctor. When patients find a doctor they are interested in using, they should ask to see “before and after” photos of actual patients treated by the doctor.

Since there is not one single board that certifies doctors across the country, patients need to be careful when selecting a doctor to perform their plastic surgery. A recent study by Northwestern University showed many providers that market their plastic surgery services on Instagram were not actually board-certified plastic surgeons. In fact, businesses such as hair salons and dentists were marketing cosmetic surgery services.

Many doctors now say that the lack of clarity when it comes to doctors being board-certified means patients need to be thorough in their research. Dr. Rady Rahban, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, told omaha.com that, “It’s all – all – on patients. You’ve got to do your homework.”

Dr. Perry Johnson, a professor from the department of surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, says patients should immediately ask if the service provider has formal training in the procedure being marketed. In other words, find out if the person completed a residency or a fellowship instead of a weekend course about the procedure.

Some of the most prominent certifying boards include the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. Doctors certified by these boards are properly trained in providing services such as breast augmentation, rhinoplasty and facelifts.