Non-Specialists Turn to Beauty Business

December 6, 2006
Not that long ago, the area of cosmetic medicine was dominated primarily by doctors who specialized in aesthetic anatomy and went through many years of training. Now, these plastic surgeons and dermatologists are sharing the competition with obstetricians, family physicians, and emergency room doctors who are cashing in on the business of beauty.

According to Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Ellen Gendler, “dentists are doing Botox, and urologists are doing hair transplants and vein removal. Everyone wants to be a plasticologist”

So What's the Problem?

Gendler and other cosmetic surgery specialists worry that the quickie-courses these doctors typically take are not enough to ensure patient safety. Furthermore, they fear for their own businesses, as would any qualified and trained professional who has made a career out of beauty rather than taken a one-day course in microdermabrasion.

Currently, however, licensed doctors in the United States are legally eligible to administer any form of treatment regardless of the amount of training they've undergone. And it's become much easier as more medical organizations offer one-day classes on lasers, Botox injections, facial fillers, and other cosmetic procedures.

Sadly, this trend poses significant risks to unsuspecting patients who go to unqualified professionals for cosmetic procedures.

Professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Alexa B. Kimball said that there are dermatological studies that indicate an increase in medical mistakes when non-specialists diagnose skin conditions. “When doctors practice out of their scope, you would anticipate problems to arise from inadequate training,” she adds.

What's in Store for the Future?

A large number of plastic surgeons are concerned the trend will only grow and confuse those patients that don't thoroughly research doctor's background when hiring a cosmetic surgeon.

“Next thing you know, chiropractors will be doing liposuction and psychiatrists will be ‘head surgeons,' giving you Restylane with your Prozac,” said Dr. Mark L. Jewell, past president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

For now, the most important thing patients can do to ensure their safety is to only choose a plastic surgeon who is board certified by the ASPS or ASAPS.

Considering cosmetic surgery? Please click here to set up a consultation with a qualified and experienced board certified plastic surgeon near you.

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