Choosing the Best Plastic Surgeon for Cosmetic Surgery

“Cosmetic Surgeons” Slinging Mud at Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons Again

The International Business Times published an article that seemingly took the side of so-called “cosmetic surgeons” following the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against the Utah Plastic Surgery Society (USPSS), the ASPS, and 19 individual plastic surgeons which had claimed their “Do Your Homework” patient education campaign violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and false advertising laws. Included in the article were accusations from the President of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCP) that ASPS's public service announcements were financially-motivated attempts to keep physicians who are not board-certified plastic surgeons from performing cosmetic procedures at all. This is simply untrue. Rather, these education efforts were intended to prevent under-trained, under-qualified physicians from obtaining substandard “certifications”-such as the ones handed out by the ABCP- and then proclaiming to be board-certified. The ASPS’ primary concern has always been educating the public so they can better understand their options and choose the best plastic surgeon for their cosmetic surgery, in order to keep them safe.

There Are No Accredited Boards or Fellowships for Purely Cosmetic Surgery

One of the main focuses of the ASPS’ “Do Your Homework” campaign was to educate the general public on how board-certified plastic surgeons have undergone extensive, specific training in plastic surgery, including residencies and fellowships certified by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), as well as passed stringent written and oral exams to prove their expertise. It also attempted to point out to people how substandard the certification process for organizations such as the ABCP are. While the International Business Times article clearly mentions those certified by the ABCP also receive education and go through a fellowship, they fail to mention the several areas in which this preparation is severely lacking. First off, the ABCP is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), the overseer of medical boards and the gold standard of medical specialty certification, and as such is free to make up whatever certification criteria they see fit. Also, their “fellowship” requirement is a farce, as there is no ACGME accredited fellowship for “cosmetic surgery”. This is reflective of the fact that cosmetic surgery is just a fragment of the comprehensive training board-certified plastic surgeons receive, not a discipline in and of itself. It is our opinion that in order to ensure your cosmetic surgery is performed safely and delivers the results you desire, you should go with a plastic surgeon who is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Berman is especially qualified to perform cosmetic surgery in that he is a double board-certified plastic surgeon, holding certifications from both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology (both recognized by the ABMS as legitimate boards). So whether you are interested in liposuction, breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, or a facelift, Dr. Berman’s more than 20 years of experience and double board certification makes him one of the best plastic surgeons in the nation. Call 561-417-0171 today to setup a consultation with Boca Raton’s premier plastic surgeon!