Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon Explains the Difference Between a Board Certified and Non-Board Certified

The desire to have good looks or a part of a body that is altered to suit individual preferences has seen a rise in cosmetic surgery clinics over the years. The clients keep flocking, but few know what they are getting themselves in to. There is a massive difference between a certified and a non-certified plastic surgeon. A board-certified plastic surgeon is a specialist who has undergone intensive education and training programs in plastic surgery, while a non-board certified physician could refer to themselves as a cosmetics surgeon even without a complete training program in the specialty area. To know the difference between a board-certified and non-board certified plastic surgeon, here is a detailed guide.

A Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon

For plastic surgeons to be board certified, they have to undergo extensive body and facial procedures training. They get equipped with aesthetic judgment and technical skills to handle and prevent emergencies that may arise when performing a procedure.

The ABPS (American Board of Plastic Surgery) certified plastic surgeons to operate reconstructive and plastic procedures. A plastic surgeon located in Scottsdale is one such expert who has the board’s certification, meaning they have been in surgical training for at least five years and have passed exams both oral and written in plastic surgery. You can get the services such as cosmetic surgery, migraine relief surgery, body contouring, breast reconstruction, and aesthetic surgery.

A Non-Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

When a plastic surgeon is non-board certified, it means they do not have the approval of ABPS. They may be well versed in other specialties but choose to refer to themselves as plastic surgeons even if they have not undergone training in plastic surgery. For plastic surgeons to get a certification, they must understand body systems such as circulation, electrolyte balance, and ventilation to ensure the safety of patients.

Unfortunately, state laws may allow a licensed physician to operate as a cosmetic surgeon even if they are not board certified or have no proper training in surgical training. It gets confusing for a client when such a doctor terms him or herself as certified when in the real sense, they have certification from their area of expertise but not in plastic surgery. You do not want to risk your health in the hands of a physician who is not well equipped with the knowledge of cosmetic surgery.

Telling the Difference Between A Board-Certified and Non-Board Certified Surgeon

As a patient seeking the services of a plastic surgeon, it is necessary to ascertain the credibility of your physician. Therefore, the first step is to inquire if they are board-certified by ABPS to operate in the capacity of a plastic surgeon. You can also inquire about their past work by seeing the before and after pictures of patients they have operated on.

Another way to be sure you are dealing with a board-certified surgeon is to ask where they operate. A non-board certified physician cannot operate in state-licensed, Medicare-certified, or accredited surgical facilities, but a board-certified surgeon can. If you cannot ask these fundamental questions, another alternative is to check on the ABPS website to confirm if the doctor you want to operate on you has certification from the board.