IS YOUR DOCTOR REALLY A PLASTIC SURGEON?

Loophole lets unqualified physicians offer plastic surgery

State medical boards do not restrict doctors from performing procedures in specialties for which they are not board-certified, and many doctors have taken advantage of the loophole to start offering financially lucrative cosmetic procedures. "Plastic surgery has become the Wild West of medicine, with an increasing number of doctors performing invasive cosmetic procedures without proper training or credentials," writes plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn. After treating many patients for surgeries botched by unqualified doctors, Youn reminds potential patients to ensure their cosmetic or plastic surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. CNN (7/25)