While demand increases each year for elective plastic surgery, regulatory oversight of who can perform popular cosmetic surgeries has changed little over the decades.
In most states, including Texas, it is legal for any physician who holds a medical license to legally do any procedure.
That means doctors in any specialty area and whose training typically ranges from a one-year fellowship to a weekend course can represent themselves as cosmetic surgeons. The practice has become known as “physician drift”.
Researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine recently studied how physicians portrayed themselves on Instagram while advertising for business. They found thatevery single doctor from fields other than plastic surgery “marketed themselves as cosmetic surgeons.” They also found that plastic surgeons eligible for membership in the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery accounted for only 18 percent of posts, while noneligible physicians accounted for 26 percent of the posts.
Only a few states do not allow doctors to advertise that they are “board-certified” without specifying the field in which they’re trained. California requires that cosmetic surgeons can only use the terms when they’ve been accredited by a state-approved board.
Since there is little oversight, the result is a difficult landscape for the consumer to navigate. Dozens of boards with similar names interject opinions and profess expertise.
But only one, the American Board of Plastic Surgery, is recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, a nonprofit that oversees 24 medical specialty boards.A surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery has undergone at least six years of specialized training and education to receive that accreditation.
All physician members of the Dallas Society of Plastic Surgeons are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. To find a highly qualified board certified plastic surgeon in the Dallas Metroplex, search by name or zip code on this website, DallasSocietyPlasticSurgeon.com
