How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon (Without the Marketing)

Choosing a plastic surgeon is one of the few purchases where the stakes are your face and your health, and yet most people start where the marketing wants them to — with a special offer. Here is how to start instead.

Look for the right board certification

The single most important credential is certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. It is the only board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties to certify plastic surgery of the entire body. Plenty of practitioners call themselves cosmetic surgeons — a title that can require far less training. Ask directly, and verify it yourself.

Read the before-and-afters carefully

A good gallery shows results that look like the patient, not like a filter. Look for cases similar to your own anatomy and goals, and be wary of galleries that only show dramatic transformations. Consistency across many cases matters more than a single spectacular one.

Ask the one question that matters

At your consultation, ask what the surgeon would not change about you. A surgeon willing to tell you where to stop is a surgeon protecting your result rather than their schedule. If every answer is yes we can do that too, keep looking. A consultation is a conversation, and it should feel like one.