Choosing A Surgeon

Guidelines For Choosing a Surgeon

• In Canada a surgeon should hold the credential FRCSC meaning they are certified by the Royal College of Surgeons
• Furthermore the surgeon should be either certified as a Plastic Surgeon, Facial Plastic Surgeon, Otolaryngolgoist Head and Neck surgeon, or an Oculoplastic surgeon "an eye surgical specialist"
• The above surgical specialties all have extensive training in plastic surgery. While General Plastic Surgeons have training in plastic surgery throughout the body the other subspecialty groups have plastic surgical training specific to their areas of expertise.
• Facial Plastic Surgeons should have completed certification by ABFPRS.
• Cosmetic Dermatologists also perform many cosmetic enhancements like botox and fillers. Some sub specialist dermatologic surgeons have done extra training and may perform certain surgical procedures.
• Maxillofacial Surgeons are trained as dentists first then go onto further training. This group performs surgery on the jaw and related structures.
• Credentials will ensure that the surgeon has completed adequate training in surgery but does not ensure skill, experience, or artistic sense of the surgeon.
• Ensure that the surgeon specializes in the procedure you are interested in. For example a surgeon who does many breast augmentations may not perform rhinoplasty surgery or facelift procedures on a regular basis.
• Reasonable criteria may be that the surgeon performs a minimum of 25 of a given procedure a year. For complicated procedures like rhinoplasty it may be best if the surgeons perform a minimum of 100 procedures a year. This will ensure that the surgeon has an interest and significant experience with a given procedure.
• The surgeon should be able to show you examples of his or her work. While the surgeon may show their good results it is still their work. A surgeon who has no examples of their own work should be avoided.
• Ensure that the surgeon practices in an institution which is either a hospital or an accredited surgical facility
• For complex procedures, it's best to choose a surgeon who has extensive experience. While all surgeons are generally well trained after leaving residency often surgeon's skills for more complex procedures improves within the first few years of practice.