Things You'll Need:
- Books - Plastic Surgery
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Step 1
Talk to friends and co-workers who've had the same procedure you're considering. Learn what they liked or disliked about their surgeons.
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Step 2
Ask your family doctor which surgeon he would recommend to a family member.
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Step 3
Question nurses, especially operating room nurses who work with plastic surgeons everyday.
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Step 4
Call the hospitals in your area. Obtain a list of board-certified plastic surgeons who have hospital privileges to perform the particular procedure you're interested in having.
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Step 5
Phone the Plastic Surgery Information Service at (800)635-0635, and leave your name, address and the procedure you're interested in. They will send you the names of five plastic surgeons in your area who perform that procedure.
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Step 6
Understand that if a plastic surgeon is recommended by the above service, he or she will be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and is a member of the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the U.S.
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Step 7
Choose a plastic surgeon who's certified by ABPS, indicating that the doctor has completed at least five years of additional training as a resident surgeon, with a minimum two-year residency in plastic surgery, and has passed a comprehensive written and oral exam.
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Step 8
Go online and surf plastic surgeons' Web sites. See what different doctors offer, and what types of procedures they perform.
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Step 9
Pick out what you like, and don't like. When you meet with your plastic surgeon, discuss some of the pros and cons you have discovered online.
