Special skill and knowledge are essential and specialists in cosmetic surgery are competent in the anatomy, physiology, pathology and basics sciences. The educational profile of this specialty is unique in that it begins with a fully trained and certified surgeon. Through continued post-residency education training, and experience, cosmetic surgery is taught and learned across traditional disciplinary boundaries. The subspecialty fully incorporates the participation and knowledge from all contributing disciplines to attain a high level of skill and understanding. Contributing disciplines include dermatologic surgery, facial plastic surgery, general surgery, plastic surgery, otolaryngology, oculoplastic surgery, oral-maxillofacial surgery and others.

The cosmetic surgeon offers specialized expertise in patient education and counseling, procedural skills, and the early recognition and treatment of complications. As a specialty, cosmetic surgeons have enhanced the knowledge and training of fellow physicians and directly benefited society through educational publications, scientific journals and in the development of safe and innovative techniques.

Competency in cosmetic surgery implies a combination of knowledge, surgical judgment, technical expertise and ethics in order to achieve the goal of providing aesthetic improvement

2. What is the difference between cosmetic surgery and plastic surgery?

Plastic surgery is defined as a surgical specialty dedicated to reconstruction of facial and body defects due to birth disorders, trauma, burns, and disease. Cosmetic surgery is elective and meant to enhance one’s appearance and plastic surgery is necessary and reconstructive in nature.

3. How can I find a qualified doctor who has specific training related to my procedure?
To assist you in your search for a qualified cosmetic surgeon, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery has established the following guidelines:

• Check the surgical experience of the surgeon you are considering. Does he or she specialize in the procedures in which you are interested? How many procedures of this kind has the doctor done? How many procedures is the doctor currently performing each year?
• Before-and-after photographs can give you some indication of a surgeon's ability, although you must realize that they cannot be construed to guarantee the result you will achieve. Each patient is different.
• Make sure you are comfortable with the personal rapport between you and your surgeon. In addition, you should feel at ease with the staff. You should always feel that your concerns are being addressed. Do not be satisfied with an incomplete answer from anyone.

* To find a qualified surgeon in your area, visit the surgeon's search on this site.

4. What sort of credentials should I be looking for?
Board certification is one of the many yardsticks in determining a surgeon's qualifications. It is important to ask your doctor about his or her credentials and study them carefully. Of the professional societies, some are more specialized than others and have more stringent requirements than others. Check your doctor's professional society affiliation and call the society to find out what the requirements are for membership.

All Fellows of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery are certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery and/or have their initial certification by one of the member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties such as the American Boards of Dermatology, Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology and Plastic Surgery. This provides some assurance of formal training in the fundamentals of cosmetic surgery. All of these specialty boards require at least four years of residency training in plastic and/or cosmetic surgical procedures and provide a solid base for the doctor's skills.

Many of these board-certified physicians will then go on to complete the requirements to undergo the rigorous oral and written testing and scrutiny to become board-certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, which has established a strict set of criteria to ensure experience and proficiency specifically in cosmetic surgery.

5. What is the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery?

The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is the only certifying board exam devoted to examining a surgeon's skill in cosmetic surgery of the face and body. It is an independent sub-specialty board that examines and certifies physicians in general, facial and dermatological cosmetic surgery.

Elilgibility requirements include:

• Being certified in one of several ABMS Boards or the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Completing an AACS-approved fellowship, or, being in practice a minimum of six years and having performed no fewer than 1000 cosmetic surgery cases
• Passing a stringent two-day oral and written examination
• Being of good moral character

You can learn more about the ABCS and find physicians board-certified in cosmetic surgery at www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org.

6. Where can I file a complaint against a physician? Where can I find out if a doctor has had malpractice suits against him/her?
Each state has its own Medical Board that licenses physicians and tracks complaints and disciplinary actions taken against physicians of all disciplines. Most states have online systems to quickly look up doctors by name. Contact your state's Medical Board or Department of Health to find the correct office.
 

7. What is the recovery time needed after undergoing cosmetic surgery?
Recovery time varies substantially depending on the procedure. Click on the procedure button of this site and then choose the procedure desired for detailed information on that procedure including recovery time. Procedures detailed on this site include: abdominoplasty (tummy tuck); breast surgery; chemical peels; chin and cheek augmentation; dermabrasion; rhytidectomy (facelift); forehead lift; hair replacement; liposuction; otoplasty (ear surgery); and schlerotherapy (vein surgery).

8. How many people undergo cosmetic surgery each year?
According to AACS Statistics, nearly 870,000 cosmetic surgery procedures were performed in 2003, a 6.7% increase from 2002..

9. How many men have cosmetic surgery?
Over 89,000 cosmetic procedures are performed on men each year. And the number gets larger each year as men grow increasingly comfortable with the concept of cosmetic surgery for themselves.

10. What are the most popular procedures for men?

1. Botox
2. Hair Transplantation/Restoration
3. Chemical Peel
4. Microdermabrasion
5. Liposuction

11.  At what age do most people have cosmetic surgery?
The average age of patients receiving cosmetic surgery is 41. Treatments such as breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty and dermabrasion are common among younger patients while procedures including blepharoplasty, breast lift, facelift and Botox are more commonly sought after by older patients

12.    What is the current medical consensus regarding the safety of silicone breast implants?

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and other medical associations have put forth a great deal of research on the safetyof silicone breast implants. Reently, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine came to the following conclusions based on new studies on silicone breast implant safety:

• There is no evidence suggesting silicone used for breast implants are toxic to humans.
• There is no established link between implants and a unique disease syndrome. Problems ascribed to implants generally involve symptoms that are nonspecific and common to the general population.
• Breast cancer mortality is not higher in women who have implants.  However, the presence of implants can make it difficult to detect cancer through mammography.
• Women with breast implants are no more likely than the rest of the population to develop serious illnesses.

More information on the safety of silicone breast implants can be found at www.nap.edu/catalog/9618.html