The greatest problem in all of Plastic Surgery.
There is currently one very serious problem in Plastic Surgery, a problem that is not talked about much, yet puts many patients in danger. The problem is that many people are calling themselves plastic surgeons when they are not actually plastic surgeons. These individuals often lack the full training, or proper credentials or certification, and yet they are doing plastic surgery procedures and calling themselves plastic surgeons. Unbelievable as it may seem, Dr Dowden has done repair surgery for patients who had breast implants inserted by gynecologists, internists, ear-nose-and-throat doctors, dermatologists, oral surgeons, general surgeons, cardiac surgeons, and even doctors with no specialty at all! Some of the worst examples in the news have been doctors who were promoted heavily on television as being plastic surgeons, yet lacking adequate training, operating with tragic outcomes. Somehow the public believes that any doctors calling themselves plastic surgeons, especially if they were publicized on TV, are really plastic surgeons. Sadly, the public is misled, and do not know how to check a doctors credentials. It is actually surprisingly easy to do: at the American Board of Medical Specialties, they have a complete list of EVERY Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon in the USA. If you input any doctor's name, you will know soon enough if there is certification, and by which board. Try it and see: American Board of Medical Specialties. If the result does not show certified in Plastic Surgery, the doctor is not a real Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon.