Talk of the Town Award Winner for 2013

Thank You

Thanks to high patient satisfaction again this year, Joseph A. Mele, III, MD, Inc., has been honored with a 2013 Talk of the Town award. Specializing in the highly competitive and subjective field of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery for 16 years, makes achieving this award that much more special. A big Thank You goes out to all my San Francisco Bay Area patients.

2013 Talk of the Town Award

The Latest in Plastic Surgery News

I am always in pursuit of the latest Plastic Surgery News. Each week I try to share the latest and the greatest while maintaining a grounded perspective. Through my web sites, blog and personalized consultations, my goal is to offer the safest and most predictable guidance that a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon can. While most “normal” people will be enjoying this Memorial Day Weekend with some well deserved rest and relaxation, I will be attending the annual California Society of Plastic Surgeons‘ meeting. Continuously updating my medical education is how I stay informed, and just one way I show my on-going commitment to my patients and my profession.

How is the Award Selected?

Per the Talk of the Town web site: Talk of the Town News established CMUS Power Ratings™ with industry-leading, sample-based methodology to track customer satisfaction. Each year, they gather information from a combination of highly respected, no-cost online user-review websites, blogs, social networks and business-rating services to measure customer satisfaction. By combining all online information into one score, consumers and businesses receive a fairer overview of customer feedback without having to spend hours locating all the information. Talk of the Town News takes the worry and work out of finding the top consumer-rated businesses across the country. Most importantly, Talk of the Town does not charge businesses, so businesses cannot influence their results.

Mommy Makeover – Belly Enhancement

A mommy’s abdominal wall, muscle and skin, is stretched maximally during the final trimester of pregnancy, and the result is often irreversible with diet and exercise alone. Once the tough fascial layer that surrounds the muscle is over-stretched, it does not spring back. Exercise is very important to maintain weight and to strengthen the muscle, but it cannot repair the loose fascial layer that supports the muscle deep within the abdominal wall. A Tummy Tuck, or Abdominoplasty, can tighten the fascia, repair the diastasis, remove the excess skin and remove any baby fat that remains on the lower belly. Mini Tummy Tucks (Mini Abdominoplasty) and Liposuction can also be part of a complete Mommy Makeover. For more about Belly Shaping procedures visit my Body Enhancement page.

Mommy Makeover – Breast Enhancement

Breast size changes with pregnancy, weight loss, weight gain and even as we naturally age. The Breast Enhancement portion of the Mommy Makeover is modified depending on the problem. Breast Augmentation is the most common procedure combined with tummy tightening in the Mommy makeover. Breast Implants are used to restore lost volume, and fill loose skin, and just about any size is available. Newer silicone filled and shaped Breast Implants give us safer and better options. If sagging is present, a Breast Lift can be used to reshape the breast. When breasts enlarge with pregnancy and do not deflate, Breast Reduction surgery may be a better answer, to restore a more comfortable breast volume. For more about Breast Shaping procedures visit my Breast Enhancement page.

Mommy Makeover Questions Answered

This Mommy Makeover Video features more answers to common questions about the Mommy Makeover. Host, Janelle Marie, asks me about Breast Augmentation, Breast Implant sizing, Tummy Tucks, combing procedures and the recovery time needed. After watching the video, if you have more questions, click on links provided at the end of this post, use the contact form on the left or just give us a call.

Mommy Makeover Video – Before and Afters

This is the fourth and final Mommy Makeover video segment from a live broadcast on the San Francisco Bay Area’s News Station, KRON4. The (415) number shown in the video clip was for callers to ask questions during the show. Andrea in San Francisco, California, called in to ask if her Breast Reduction can be revised. Another good question! If you have questions about Mommy Makeovers, Breast Augmentation or Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tucks) please call (925) 943-6353 for more information, or use the contact form on this page to e-mail me.

Mommy Makeover Frequently Asked Questions

This series of Mommy Makeover Videos includes answers to many Mommy Makeover Frequently Asked Questions. This segment reviews additional facts about both Breast Augmentation and Tummy Tucks and the alternatives. San Francisco caller, Andrea, also calls with questions about Breast Reduction and Breast Reduction Revision surgery. Some of the breast and belly shaping topics covered include:

• Can Breast Augmentation and Tummy Tucks be safely combined as a Mommy Makeover?
• What are the advantages of combining Breast Augmentation and Tummy Tucks?
• Which are the most popular Cosmetic Plastic Surgery procedures?
• Do Breast Implants have to be big?
• What sizes are available in Breast Implants?
• Can a specific size be guaranteed for Breast Augmentation?
• How can I test the size of Breast Augmentation I want?
• What is the most common reason for Breast Augmentation Revision?
• What is the most common reason to replace a Breast Implant?
• What is the recovery time for a Tummy Tuck?
• What is the recovery time for a Mini Tummy Tuck?
• Can Breast Reduction be redone or revised?

More Mommy Makeover Information

Thank you for watching part three of Mommy Makeovers. Be sure to watch the rest of the show. Links are provided below:

• Part 1 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation – San Francisco Bay Area
• Part 2 – Mommy Makeover – Tummy Tuck & Liposuction – San Francisco Bay Area
• Part 3 – Mommy Makeover – Before and Afters and More Details
• Part 4 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation & Tummy Tuck – San Francisco Bay Area (You Are Here)

More Mommy Makeover Information is available under the Categories menu to the left and on my websites. Click the links below to learn more:

• Mommy Makeover Information
• Tummy Tuck Information
• Breast Augmentation Information
• More Breast Augmentation Information

Mommy Makeover – Breast Enhancement

Breast can enlarge, deflate or sag with pregnancy. The Mommy Makeover is modified depending on the problem. The most common Breast Enhancement is Breast Augmentation. Breast Implants are used to restore lost volume, and fill loose skin. If sagging is present, a Breast Lift can be used to reshape the breast. When breast enlarge with pregnancy and do not deflate, the result is macromastia, or breast that remain too large. Breast Reduction surgery is used in this situation, to restore a more comfortable breast volume. Breast Reduction reduces and lifts the breast and can also provide Areola Reduction. When needed, Nipple Reduction can also be incorporated into the procedure. For more about Breast Shaping procedures visit my Breast Enhancement page.

Mommy Makeover – Belly Enhancement

The abdomen also takes a hit with pregnancy. The abdominal wall, muscle and skin, is stretched maximally during the final trimester. The tough fascial layer that surrounds the muscle often gives, causing laxity of the muscle and separation of the rectus muscles down the middle (diastasis recti). While exercise will strengthen the muscle, it cannot repair the overstretched fascia. A Tummy Tuck, or Abdominoplasty, can tighten the fascia, repair the diastasis, remove the excess skin and remove any baby fat that remains on the lower belly. Mini Tummy Tucks (Mini Abdominoplasty) and Liposuction can also be part of a complete Mommy Makeover. For more about Belly Shaping procedures visit my Body Enhancement page.

Mommy Makeover Before and After Pictures

This Mommy Makeover Video features before and after photos and more Mommy Makeover information. A variety of Tummy Tucks before and afters are revealed, from small to large. Other details of the Mommy Makeover are also discussed regarding the tummy tuck scar, and when to use breast implants, breast reduction or a breast lift.

Mommy Makeover Video – Before and Afters

The Mommy Makeover video segment below was broadcast live on the San Francisco Bay Area’s News Station, KRON4. The (415) number shown in the feature was for callers to ask questions during the show. Michelle in San Jose, California, called in to ask if her C-section scar can be used to perform a Tummy Tuck. Good question! If you have questions about Mommy Makeovers, Breast Augmentation or Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tucks) please call (925) 943-6353 for more information, or use the contact form on this page to email me.

Mommy Makeover Frequently Asked Questions

This Mommy Makeover Video includes answers to more Mommy Makeover frequently asked questions. Tummy Tucks and Abdominoplasty before and after pictures are shown, and more Belly and Breast Enhancement details are shared including:

• Mommy Makeover before and after pictures
• Extended Tummy Tuck before and afters for skin laxity
• Abdominoplasty before and afters for muscle laxity
• Tummy Tuck before and afters for disproportionate fat
• How to treat the Muffin Top
• Where is the Tummy Tuck scar?
• Can a C-section Scar be used for a Tummy Tuck?
• When are Breast Implants used for Breast Enhancement?
• When is a Breast Lift recommended?
• Can Breast Reduction be performed instead?
• Which are the strongest Breast Implants?
• Allergan style 410 Breast Implants information
• Sientra High-Strength Breast Implants information

More Mommy Makeover Information

Thank you for watching part three of Mommy Makeovers. Be sure to watch the rest of the show. Links are provided below:

• Part 1 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation – San Francisco Bay Area
• Part 2 – Mommy Makeover – Tummy Tuck & Liposuction – San Francisco Bay Area
• Part 3 – Mommy Makeover – Before and Afters and More Details (You Are Here)
• Part 4 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation & Tummy Tuck – San Francisco Bay Area

More Mommy Makeover information is available under the Categories menu to the left and on my websites. Click the links below to learn more:

• Mommy Makeover Information
• Tummy Tuck Information
• Breast Augmentation Information
• More Breast Augmentation Information

Dr. Joseph Mele, rated among the Top Plastic Surgeons in California.

In addition to Top Plastic Surgeon in California, recognition was received for Top Doctor in the Contra Costa County Region, CA and Thought Leader in the Contra Costa County Region, CA. It is humbling to be recognized, and I am happy to be able to help patients seeking the best medical care.

What is a Mommy Makeover

Mommy Makeover is a generic term for a combination of procedures that restore both the breasts and the belly. Since this is very desirable after childbirth, mommies are the number one patients for Mommy Makeovers. The combination is also common after weight loss, when breast volume is lost and the abdominal skin remains stretched out. A Mommy makeover can also be performed to cosmetically enhance the results of Bariatric Surgery. As a member of the American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons, Mommy Makeovers are an area of particular interest to me.

Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tucks)

The previous post reviewed the options for remodeling the upstairs (Breast Enhancement). This Mommy Makeover Video concentrates on downstairs (Body Enhancement). The mainstay of Body Enhancement is the Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty. The procedure allows a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to tighten the abdominal muscles and remove excess belly skin and fat. The result is a smoother, firmer tummy.

Mini Tummy Tucks (Mini Abdominoplasty)

When the upper abdominal wall looks good (above the belly-button) and just the lower tummy needs tucking, a Mini Tummy Tuck may be a better choice. The Mini Abdominoplasty operation is a smaller procedure, with a quicker recovery. The fact that it’s a smaller procedure also means it is not a substitute for when a full Tummy Tuck is indicated.

Liposuction

Liposuction can also be used for body sculpting. Liposuction allows areas of disproportionate fat to be removed via small, discretely placed incisions. If your skin has good elasticity, it will smooth out after the fat is removed. The skin over an area of liposuction can shrink due to it’s own elasticity, but if the skin is loose prior to liposuctioning, a Tummy Tuck is almost always a better choice.

Mommy Makeover Video – Breast Augmentation

The Mommy Makeover video segment below was broadcast live on the San Francisco Bay Area’s News Station, KRON4. The (415) number shown in the feature was for callers to ask questions during the show. If you have questions about Mommy Makeovers, Breast Augmentation or Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tucks) please call (925) 943-6353 for more information, or use the contact form on this page to email me.

Mommy Makeover Frequently Asked Questions

This Mommy Makeover Video includes answers to many of the frequently asked questions about Tummy Tucks and Abdominoplasty. Other tummy shaping procedures are also discussed including, Mini Tummy Tucks, Mini Abdominoplasty and Liposuction. Some of the Mommy Makeover Information covered includes:

• What diet and exercise can and can’t do.
• What is the definition of the Mommy Makeover
• Can Tummy Tucks be safely combined with Breast Implants?
• Do only Mommies benefit from Mommy Makeovers?
• How can a Mommy Makeover help after pregnancy?
• How can a Mommy Makeover help after weight loss?
• What differences are there with Tummy Tucks for Women and Men?
• Will Liposuction tighten loose skin?
• What are the advantages of a Mini Tummy Tuck?
• What are the limitations of a Mini Tummy Tuck?
• Why are Mini Abdominoplasty scars shorter?
• Does an Abdominoplasty cut the abdominal muscles?

More Mommy Makeover Information

Thank you for watching part two of Mommy Makeovers. Be sure to watch the rest of the show. Links are provided below:

• Part 1 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation – San Francisco Bay Area
• Part 2 – Mommy Makeover – Tummy Tuck & Liposuction – San Francisco Bay Area (You Are Here)
• Part 3 – Mommy Makeover – Before and Afters and More Details
• Part 4 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation & Tummy Tuck – San Francisco Bay Area

More Mommy Makeover information is available under the Categories menu to the left and on my websites. Click the links below to learn more:

• Mommy Makeover Information
• Tummy Tuck Information
• Breast Augmentation Information
• More Breast Augmentation Information

Breast Enhancement

Breast Enhancement includes many different procedures. The most common, by far, is Breast Augmentation with Breast Implants; however, Breast Lifts, Breast Reduction, Areolar Reduction, Inverted Nipple Correction and even Nipple Reduction are all types of Cosmetic Breast Enhancement.

Mommy Makeovers Upstairs – Breast Augmentation

Breast Augmentation is the upper half of the Mommy Makeover. The first video segment from Body Beautiful focuses on Breast Augmentation with Breast Implants. When the skin is firm, Breast Augmentation alone is a great way to restore volume and beauty to the female breasts. If the skin is loose, a Breast Lift can be added to improve the shape and firmness of the breasts.

Mommy Makeover Video – Breast Augmentation

The Mommy Makeover video segment below was broadcast live on the San Francisco Bay Area’s New Station, KRON4. The (415) number shown in the feature was for callers, like Sandra from San Jose, to ask questions during the show. If you have questions about Mommy Makeovers, Breast Augmentation or Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tucks) please call (925) 943-6353 for more information, or use the contact form on this page to email me.

Mommy Makeover Frequently Asked Questions

This Mommy Makeover Video includes answers to many of the frequently asked questions about Breast Implants and Breast Augmentation. Multiple Breast Augmentation Before and After pictures are shown, and I answer questions from a viewer from San Jose about Breast Augmentation Revision:

• What is a Mommy Makeover?
• What are Breast Implants?
• Are Breast Implants Safe?
• What are Breast Implants filled with?
• What advantages do Saline Breast Implants have?
• What advantages do Silicone Breast Implants have?
• What advantages do “Gummy Bear” Breast Implants have?
• What advantages do Round Breast Implants have?
• What advantages do Shaped Breast Implants have?
• Is Cleavage always possible with Breast Implants?
• Breast Implant Before and After Pictures
• Breast Augmentation Revision – Can switching from Saline to Silicone gel filled Breast Implants help a firm Breast Augmentation?

More Mommy Makeover Information

Thank you for watching part one of Mommy Makeovers. Be sure to watch the rest of the show. Links are provided below:

• Part 1 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation – San Francisco Bay Area (You Are Here)
• Part 2 – Mommy Makeover – Tummy Tuck & Liposuction – San Francisco Bay Area
• Part 3 – Mommy Makeover – Before and Afters and More Details
• Part 4 – Mommy Makeover – Breast Augmentation & Tummy Tuck – San Francisco Bay Area

More Mommy Makeover information is available under the Categories menu to the left and on my websites. Click the links below to learn more:

• Mommy Makeover Information
• Breast Augmentation Information
• More Breast Augmentation Information
• Tummy Tuck Information

The annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) was held in New York last week. Many of the best Cosmetic Plastic Surgeons, both members and guests, gathered to share the latest techniques and dispel the latest myths in plastic surgery innovation.

What is the ASAPS?

The ASAPS is the largest professional society for Board Certified Plastic Surgeons who practice Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. The group split from the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) to provide Plastic Surgeons with a professional organization dedicated to the specialty of cosmetic surgery. Most members maintain membership in the ASAPS and the mother society, now renamed the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The national meetings of the ASAPS and ASPS are two of the largest of their kind in the world.

What’s new in Plastic Surgery?

The ASAPS meeting provides scientific papers, lectures and instructional courses covering the latest refinements in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. This is one reason I go out of my way to attend. The other main reason is the manufacturers displays. The latest innovations in plastic surgery are there to be seen, and the manufacturers representatives are available to explain it all.

What’s New in Breast Implants

If you are a frequent reader of the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog, you may already have the latest cosmetic plastic surgery information, but here is a recap of some of the newest offerings in Breast Implants. Both these implants are next generation products with highly cohesive silicone gel interiors. The terminology for these devices has become very confusing, but you may know them as gummy bear, form-stable or high-strength silicone gel filled breast implants.

New Breast Implants from Allergan

So what was new? For Breast Augmentation, this was the first national meeting with the newly approved Allergan style 410 shaped breast implants.

Allergan Natrelle 410 Breast Implants get FDA Approval.

These are the latest generation of silicone breast implants. The improvement is inside with these implants. They are filled with a form-stable, high-strength gel that maintains its shape better than any other implant. While not right for everyone, they do represent an improvement in shaped breast implant technology, and will be especially useful for women needing breast reconstruction after a mastectomy and for women born with little to no breast tissue.

New Breast Implants from Sientra

Sientra was well represented too. Sientra offers the latest in smooth round breast implant technology. Sientra’s breast implants are made with a stronger shell and form-stable high-strength gel.

Sientra Breast Implants made by Silimed

The gel in the Sientra Breast Implants is not as stiff as the new Allergan 410′s; however, it is stiff enough to resist flow, as the breast implant that I divided in half last year can attest to, but feels softer. It also does not suffer from problems with shell separation and gel shearing that the 410 does. Both Sientra’s and Allegan’s latest offering represent improvements from the previous Breast Implants.

New Dressing to Reduce Scars

Last year, I was a clinical investigator for a novel scar treatment manufactured by Neodyne Biosciences.

Embrace – A novel scar treatment.

The product, Embrace, was launched last weekend, at the ASAPS meeting in New York City. Embrace is a new silicone dressing specifically designed to shield an incision from stress and improve the appearance of the scar. Initial trails were conducted for Tummy Tuck scar, and the results were good. Dressings of various shapes and sizes are available to match the size of the incision. Notice I say incision not scar. These dressings are made for use right after an incision is closed, or a scar is surgically revised, to help improve the scar formation.

But Wait! There’s More!

These are just three of the most exciting offerings from ASAPS. This is also the 250th entry for the San Francisco Plastic Surgery Blog. As long as there is something new to present, I will keep blogging. Thank you for all your support, and interesting questions. If you have a question, feel free to email using the form on the left.

If you are interested in learning more about a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure, the best way to learn is by consulting a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, like myself. While the Internet is amazing, there is no substitute for an in-person consultation. To reach my San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery office in Walnut Creek, CA, call (925) 943-6353.

Breast implants are a safe and effective means of providing or restoring breast volume during Breast Augmentation surgery.

Breast Augmentation for Small Breasts

For women who have always had small breast, Breast Implants can provide the breast volume that has been missing. If you are considering Breast Augmentation, and have never had large breasts, you have an advantage. The advantage is tighter skin. Firm skin will stretch and fit smoothly over the Breast Implants, giving a youthful result, without the need for a Breast Lift.

Breast that have always been small have an advantage when it comes to Breast Augmentation.

Breast Augmentation for Deflated Breasts

During pregnancy, or weight gain, the breasts often enlarge. In the process, the skin is stretched and the amount of skin increases. After childbirth or weight loss, the breast may not return to its original size and shape. The result is often a breast which looks deflated. The breast volume is lost, but skin does not shrink enough to provide firm coverage.

Breast pseudoptosis or “fake sagging” responds well to Breast Augmentation.

There are two types of deflation. When the breast “pancakes” or “bottoms out,” the nipple remains elevated and near the center of the breast. This is termed pseudoptosis, or “fake sagging.” Breast Augmentation is usually all that is needed to restore a more ideal breast shape when there is pseudoptosis. However, when the nipple is low on the breast, or the nipple is lower than the inframammary fold (the fold beneath the breast), this it termed ptosis, or “sagging.” When true sagging is present, Breast Augmentation alone is not enough, and a Breast Lift is used along with a Breast Implant to provide the best results.

Tummy Tuck Before and After Pictures

Tummy tuck before and after pictures: Extra fat and skin are removed, and the protruding abdominal wall muscles are tightened like an internal corset, for a dramatic improvement.

The Best Tummy Tucks (Abdominoplasty)

The best Tummy Tucks and Abdominoplasties provide improvements that are not possible by any other means. There is no substitute for a proper diet and regular exercise. Eating right and dieting however, cannot shrink sagging skin or restore tone to muscle that has been overstretched by pregnancy.

Liposuction is a wonderful procedure, but despite what brand name liposuction marketers claim, it cannot significantly shrink skin. The truth is, a small amount of recoil occurs with tumescent liposuction due to the elasticity intrinsic to the skin. Heating the skin with a laser, ultrasound or radio frequency can burn the skin, and cannot change loose skin into tight skin. A Tummy Tuck, on the other hand, does tighten the skin.

Tummy Tucks Shrink Skin

SmartLipo does not shrink skin like a tummy tuck can. Above, multiple folds of redundant skin are smoothed, improving how the belly looks and how clothes fit.

A Tummy Tuck can shrink skin. When there is only a small amount of loose skin, and it is confined to the area below the belly button, a Mini Tummy Tuck can do the job. When the skin is loose above the belly button, the traditional full tummy tuck is just what the doctor ordered.

Tummy Tucks Tighten Muscles

The before picture on the left shows no fat, a little loose skin and significantly loose muscle fascia giving that still a little pregnant look.

Another advantage the Tummy Tuck has over Liposuction is the ability to tighten the muscle. Unlike with skin tightening, the muscle is not cut. Instead, the tough layer that surrounds the muscle, the fascia, is synched up. The repair is performed underneath the skin that runs up and down the middle of the abdomen, from rib to pubis, like a corset on the inside.

The Abdominoplasty Before and After Pictures above show little abdominal fat, so Liposuction won’t help. The main problem is over stretched muscle facia and loss of support for the abdominal wall. The result is a bulging belly on a thin woman. She could improve her appearance in clothing by wearing a girdle, but she was not comfortable in tight clothing or in a bikini. A Tummy Tuck, allows her a broader choice of fashion by restoring the natural, internal support of the abdominal wall.

Tummy tuck before and after pictures: The purple ink outlines the skin removed by the abdominoplasty. The internal tightening of the abdominal muscles flattens the belly and brings the rectus muscles back to the middle, where they belong.

The front views above show before and after tummy tuck photos of another patient. The skin and fat outlined in purple was removed, and the muscles were tightened in the midline, underneath the skin. Before the Abdominoplasty, the rectus muscles running down the middle of the abdomen are spread apart and allow the gut to protrude. After the Tummy Tuck, the rectus muscles are pulled back together down the middle of the abdomen. The belly is flattened, the linea alba (the slight indentation that runs down the middle) is restored and the sides of the rectus muscles can be seen moved back toward the middle of the abdominal wall where they belong.

Tummy Tuck Information

More information on Tummy Tucks and Abdominoplasties is available by clicking the Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty) link listed under Categories in the left column, or following the links in the text above to the DrMele.com web site.

For information specific to your needs, there is no substitute for an in person consultation. Call our San Francisco Bay Area Plastic Surgery office in Walnut Creek now at (925) 943-6353, for a personalized and private Tummy Tuck consultation appointment.

Board Certified for Life

For the American Board of Plastic Surgery, diplomates certified prior to 1995 where given certificates without an expiration date. After finishing an accredited Plastic Surgery training program, all one had to do was pass a written qualifying examination and an oral certification examination and you were Board Certified, for life. No further exams, no further evaluations and no further review was required.

Recertification – the First Step

The first step toward assuring the public that Board Certified Plastic Surgeons are also current with the latest techniques in surgery and patient safety was recertification. Every 10 years, passing a written examination was required to remain Board Certified. If you could not pass, you could no longer claim to be Board Certified. Lifetime certificate holders, however, are not required to participate to remain Board Certified.

Maintenance of Certification

The latest incarnation of Board Certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery requires a yearly activity to remain Board Certified. Again, Plastic Surgeons certified before 1995 are still not required to participate in order to retain their Board Certified title.

Some of the yearly tasks are simple, like paying the ever increasing fees; however, this is not nearly enough. Many of the tasks are more than menial and are listed below:

• Verification of unrestricted state medical license
• Verification of hospital privileges
• Verification of accreditation of non-hospital based freestanding outpatient surgery centers
• Submission of advertising material
• Active membership in one of the Board’s sponsoring organizations (ASPS or ASAPS)
• Peer review
• Verification of 150 Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits every three years
• Completion of additional MOC-approved educational activities
• Completion of one Practice Assessment Module
• Review of Benchmarking Report for comparison of data to peers
• Completion of Action Plan for Improvement
• Case Collection of de-identified data from all cases over a six-month period
• Successfully completing the MOC in Plastic Surgery Recertification Examination every 10 years

All This for a Little Piece of Paper

After completing all these tasks, here what I received…

… a Little Piece of Paper: The American Board of Plastic Surgery Recertification for 2013

The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)

The American Board of Plastic Surgery program requirements are aligned with the four basic components approved by all 24 Member Boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS). The ABMS represents the gold standard of Medical Boards and for Board Certification. There are more than 24 “boards” out there, but these 24 represent the core of medicine and are the “real” Medical Boards. Beware of sound-a-like boards. Some are valid adjuncts to the core, but none are a substitute for the real boards.

Why Look for Board Certification?

The idea behind Board Certification is to provide a benchmark for the public for a doctor’s training and qualifications. Below are links with which you can check me out, or check out any other Board Certified Doctor.

Maintenance of Certification takes dedication and persistence. You owe it to yourself to check your plastic surgeon before having any procedure. Just click on what you want to do:

Check if your doctor is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Check if your doctor is Board Certified by another American Board of Medical Specialties board. You will need to register to use this site, but it is safe, free and fast.

Check if your doctor has an unrestricted California Medical License. Read the disclaimer and click “Continue to Search” at the bottom. If you are not in California, Google your state’s medical board for a link.