Considering elective plastic surgery? Experts say research your options


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LAYTON — If you take a drive down Interstate 15 through Utah, they are hard to miss: billboards promising dramatic transformations through plastic surgery.

Elective plastic surgery isn’t for everyone. But if you’re considering it, experts say there are several things to consider.

First, not every doctor has the same training and expertise, as Sascha Ovard discovered when she began the hunt for a surgeon. She said horror stories of botched surgeries from friends kept her on what seemed like a never-ending search.

“It was something that I had thought about for at least 10 years after I had my last child,” Ovard said. “I wanted to make sure I went to a surgeon that was reputable.”

Check the surgeon’s credentials

“Most of what we see is a misrepresentation of qualification,” said Dr. Eric Ashby, board-certified plastic surgeon and president of the Utah Plastic Surgery Society. “If there are any complaints, then they come to us.

“We saw a lot of advertising, and people would say ‘board-certified cosmetic surgeon,’ or ‘plastic surgeon,’ and it was misleading to the public.”

Several years ago, Ashby said he and other colleagues saw things getting so convoluted that they launched an advertising campaign aimed at educating consumers with billboards along I-15. The billboards asked questions like, “I didn’t know my cosmetic surgeon wasn’t a plastic surgeon,” or “Who is performing your plastic surgery?”

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Don’t believe every plaque you see

You may notice official-looking framed certificates hanging in a surgeon’s office. But consider the source.

Ashby said several online companies will send you a certificate for the right price.

“You send them a check and they’ll put anything on a certificate,” he said.

As a test, Ashby ordered one stating he’d been in practice since 1776 — making him a very long-lived surgeon.

Ashby suggests doing your research through state licensing boards, like the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.

Cosmetic vs. plastic surgeon

There is a difference between plastic surgeons and cosmetic surgeons, and depending on what procedure you want to have done, knowing the difference will inform your choice.

Plastic surgeons must train for an additional five to eight years following medical school. Like board-certified plastic surgeons, surgeons certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery have to complete prerequisite training. They must graduate from medical school, complete a core surgical residency program of at least four years, and then go on to complete a one to two-year fellowship is cosmetic surgery. ABCS surgeons have a minimum of six years of trainings.

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The training for cosmetic surgeons is highly focused on six specific areas, including liposuction and breast augmentation, while plastic surgeons learn those areas plus other procedures, including reconstruction.

Most hospitals only allow board-certified plastic surgeons to perform cosmetic procedures at their facilities. As a result, many cosmetic surgeons will operate out of their offices.

“This is what you need to look for,” Ashby said, pointing to an American Board of Plastic Surgery logo. “This shows they have done the training in an approved institution. They’ve had board-certified plastic surgeons not only teaching them, but observing them.”

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For Ovard, the years of research, comparing photos, and looking up specific certifications was worth every second. She finally took the plunge last year and said she’s happy with her results.

“I think the more we can share and educate each other, the better,” Ovard said. “It is something that is going to affect you for the rest of your life, whether good or bad.”

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Ashley Kewish

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