How do I choose...
You’ve decided to look further into cosmetic surgery and don’t know where to begin. How do you choose a surgeon, or a procedure for that matter? Your first step is to research qualified practitioners who can provide you with a consultation that will leave you informed and confident in your decision.
Qualified Plastic Surgeons in Canada will have two basic certifications, and belong to societies that are recognized by their peers.
The basic certification for a qualified plastic Surgeon in Canada is an MD, denoting that he or she is a Medical Doctor followed by a Fellowship in The Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC).
A qualified Plastic Surgeon should have at least these designations following their name.
Some surgeons may have other, additional qualifications, that denote further academic training or an academic position in a University. The surgeon may also specialize in one of the subspecialties of Plastic Surgery, giving some indication as to which types of procedures they are best qualified to perform. These designations have no official title, they are often based on the surgeons fellowship training, completed following their Plastic Surgery residency.
The internet is, of course, a powerful educational tool, but be sure to read the information presented on it with discretion. There is no official regulation as to which type of physician can call themselves a cosmetic surgeon, and as such, the internet is fraught with misinformation. This is where official societies play a role in educating the public. Plastic surgeons, and Plastic Surgeons that specialize in Cosmetic Surgery have formed peer reviewed societies, to which only those surgeons recognized by their peers as qualified to perform such procedures can belong. The two Societies in Canada that have this distinction are:
1) The Canadian Society of Plastic and reconstructive Surgery
2) The Canadian Society for Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Plastic Surgery
Each of these societies has a member list which can be checked by the public to ensure that the Plastic Surgeon you are consulting with is recognized as qualified to perform Plastic Surgical procedures by the Plastic Surgery professional community.
Beyond this, a prospective patient must interview their surgeon, feel comfortable with his or her approach and perhaps, most importantly, see photographic evidence of the surgeon’s competence in performing the procedure. During the consultation, ask to see before and after photographs of the surgeon’s patients who have undergone the procedure that he or she has recommended to you. This is not only an indication of the quality of results you may expect, but also gives you a sense of how experienced the surgeon is in the given procedure.
