While having a rare free moment the other day, I was flipping through a Spanish language newspaper. I was surprised by the number of ads offering liposuction. The majority of the doctors offering the service were not Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. Some were ENT’s, others Ob/Gyn’s, and even a Family Practice doctor was touting her skills as an expert. This information wasn’t stated in the ads, and if you were not very diligent in researching or careful in asking, you would have no idea.

I have spoken to a few of these practitioners, and the answer to why they are doing it is simple- making money. None of the doctors I spoke to had any training during residency in their fields. The company that sells the equipment allows them to “train” by watching someone else with experience for either a few cases, or has a weekend seminar outside the US or somewhere by a resort. Amazingly, this is perfectly legal as of now. This is potentially disastrous.

I am a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, and did my first liposuction as a medical student in 1989. I have done many thousand procedures at Yager Esthetics, and do many hundred every year. Liposuction is not simply removing fat. Patient selection is very important, and the quality and texture of the skin, the technique used, and a comprehensive knowledge of fluid management is essential. This can not be learned in a few days.

Please do your homework and directly ask your liposuction provider if he or she is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, as no other board with a similar name is the same. You can go to www.plasticsurgery.org and check for yourself. You do not have to come to me, but please be smart and safe.