Microdermabrasion

Choosing a Plastic Surgeon for your Microdermabrasion

Microdermabrasion isn't always performed by your plastic surgeon.  In many cases, a specially trained aesthetician who works for the plastic surgeon may perform microdermabrasion treatments.  It is still important to choose someone who is skilled, trained and qualified for your procedure.  In most states, aestheticians are regulated by the same organizations that regulate other medical care. FaceForum has assembled a variety of resources to assist you in your search.

This part of FaceForum's microdermabrasion section begins with a brief introduction into the factors which one should consider as one selects a cosmetic plastic surgeon to perform one's microdermabrasion procedure.

Top Tips for Choosing a Plastic Surgeon to Perform Your Microdermabrasion Procedure:

1. Verify that the surgeon is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.  -  You can check to see if your microdermabrasion surgeon is board certified in plastic surgery by using the American Board of Medical Specialties website at www.abms.org or by calling them toll free at 1 (866) ASK-ABMS.
   
2. Check the status of the surgeon's medical license. - FaceForum has assembled medical license verification information from all fifty U.S. states and the District of Columbia to assist you.  Each state has its own information page on our website.  You can find the links by scrolling down this page.
   
3. Check for disciplinary actions and malpractice judgments.  Many of the state websites (see links below) have information on disciplinary actions. A few have information on malpractice judgments.  If your state doesn't list malpractice judgments on its website, you may be able to obtain that information from the clerk of courts for the county in which the doctor practices.  Keep in mind that a malpractice lawsuit is different from a malpractice judgment. An accepted rule of thumb is that three malpractice judgments in a period of five to ten years indicates a warning sign.
   
4. Ask about malpractice insurance. - Should something go wrong, you want to make sure that your surgeon has current insurance coverage.
   
5. Verify the doctor's credentials and training. - While some of the state websites (links below) give you this information, not all do.  Ask your doctor's office for information on the surgeon's training and education.  For most plastic surgeons, you can also get this info from either the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) or the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).  Roughly 97% of all board certified plastic surgeons are ASPS members.  The ASPS website is at www.plasticsurgery.org.
   
6. Ask the surgeon how often he or she performs microdermabrasion and what his or her the complication rates are. - Be skeptical if no one knows the answers or if you are told that a particular physician has never had any complications.
   
7. Check whether or not the surgeon has hospital privileges. - You want to know this even if you are not having surgery in the hospital.  Why?  In the rare event that something happens during surgery, you may have to be admitted to the hospital for care.  Ask the doctor's office about hospital privileges. Call the hospital to verify.
   
8. Ask for references. - Ask for before and after photos.  If you feel comfortable talking to other patients on whom the plastic surgeon performed microdermabrasion, do so.
   
9. Ask your doctor. - What kind of opinion does your family doctor or primary care physician have of your plastic surgeon?
   
10. Ask about anesthesia. - Make sure that your anesthesia is being administered by a properly certified registered nurse anesthetist or an physician anesthesiologist.  Extra Tip: Many state websites have anesthesiologist and nurse anesthetist certification information.
    
11. Check the accreditation of the surgical facility. - States require hospitals to be certified. Most states do not require that out-patient (ambulatory) surgical facilities or office-based surgical facilities be certified. Luckily, there are national accrediting organizations which inspect and certify them.  They are the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF), the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).  You can look up AAAASF facilities at http://www.aaaasf.org/Facilities/.  You can search for AAAHC facilities at: http://www.aaahc.org/accreditation/search.shtml.  JCAHO accreditation lookups can be performed at: http://www.jcaho.org/qualitycheck/directry/directry.asp.

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State by State Resources to Help with Your Microdermabrasion Research:

AK - Microdermabrasion Alaska Surgeons
AL - Microdermabrasion Alabama Surgeons
AR - Microdermabrasion Arkansas Surgeons
AZ - Microdermabrasion Arizona Surgeons
CA - Microdermabrasion California Surgeons
CO - Microdermabrasion Colorado Surgeons
CT - Microdermabrasion Connecticut Surgeons
DC - Microdermabrasion Washington DC Surgeons
DE - Microdermabrasion Delaware Surgeons
FL - Microdermabrasion Florida Surgeons
GA - Microdermabrasion Georgia Surgeons
HI - Microdermabrasion Hawaii Surgeons
IA - Microdermabrasion Iowa Surgeons
ID - Microdermabrasion Idaho Surgeons
IL - Microdermabrasion Illinois Surgeons
IN - Microdermabrasion Indiana Surgeons
KS - Microdermabrasion Kansas Surgeons
KY - Microdermabrasion Kentucky Surgeons
LA - Microdermabrasion Louisiana Surgeons
MA - Microdermabrasion Massachusetts Surgeons
MD - Microdermabrasion Maryland Surgeons
ME - Microdermabrasion Maine Surgeons
MI - Microdermabrasion Michigan Surgeons
MN - Microdermabrasion Minnesota Surgeons
MO - Microdermabrasion Missouri Surgeons
MS - Microdermabrasion Mississippi Surgeons
MT - Microdermabrasion Montana Surgeons
NC - Microdermabrasion North Carolina Surgeons
ND - Microdermabrasion North Dakota Surgeons
NE - Microdermabrasion Nebraska Surgeons
NH - Microdermabrasion New Hampshire Surgeons
NJ - Microdermabrasion New Jersey Surgeons
NM - Microdermabrasion New Mexico Surgeons
NV - Microdermabrasion Nevada Surgeons
NY - Microdermabrasion New York Surgeons
OH - Microdermabrasion Ohio Surgeons
OK - Microdermabrasion Oklahoma Surgeons
OR - Microdermabrasion Oregon Surgeons
PA - Microdermabrasion Pennsylvania Surgeons
RI - Microdermabrasion Rhode Island Surgeons
SC - Microdermabrasion South Carolina Surgeons
SD - Microdermabrasion South Dakota Surgeons
TN - Microdermabrasion Tennessee Surgeons
TX - Microdermabrasion Texas Surgeons
UT - Microdermabrasion Utah Surgeons
VA - Microdermabrasion Virginia Surgeons
VT - Microdermabrasion Vermont Surgeons
WA - Microdermabrasion Washington Surgeons
WI - Microdermabrasion Wisconsin Surgeons
WV - Microdermabrasion West Virginia Surgeons
WY - Microdermabrasion Wyoming Surgeons

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Microdermabrasion - Quick Topic Navigation

[What Can Microdermabrasion Do For Me?]
[The Microdermabrasion Procedure]
[Cost of Microdermabrasion - Prices]
[Choosing a Surgeon for Microdermabrasion]
[After Microdermabrasion - Recovery]