Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

Plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery are very different, even though both terms are often interchanged. Plastic surgery deals with the repair, reconstruction, or replacement of physical defects. While board certification may provide cursory evidence that a physician is competent in plastic surgery, it does not necessarily apply to cosmetic surgery or demonstrate that the cosmetic surgeon or practitioner has more education, training, and experience. Cosmetic surgery is a subspecialty that restricts itself to the enhancement of appearance. Cosmetic surgery is specifically concerned with maintaining a normal appearance, restoring a normal appearance, or enhancing it toward an aesthetic ideal.

The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) has certain requirements to become a board certified plastic surgeon such as having a degree in the medical field, practice in the plastic surgery field, having certain ethical and advertisement standards, and passing an examination. Just because a surgeon qualifies and achieves a certification, it does not mean they are necessarily competent cosmetic surgeons. Cosmetic surgery is primarily learned during a physician’s ongoing education, training, and experience. Many doctors or practitioners who advertise cosmetic surgery are not even proper surgeons. Cosmetic surgeons may include dermatologists, general surgeons, general dentist practitioners or oral surgeons, and plastic surgeons that have taken cursory training. In one case this writer is familiar with, a dentist was advertising and performing hair transplants and indeed had a very successful hair transplant business. Often times physicians, dentists, ophthalmologists, or other non-board certified plastic surgeons take a short course or two and then advertise their “expertise” in cosmetic surgery. Many physicians now inject collagen or BOTOX as a means to supplement their declining incomes and such procedures are mini-profit centers. BOTOX is a poison derived from the bacterium clostridium botulinum which if not properly injected can cause paralysis and other health threatening issues.

A licensed and trained doctor with surgical experience and proper qualifications should perform cosmetic surgery. Unfortunately, the field of cosmetic surgery is highly unregulated and many of the practitioners are not properly trained and are simply not qualified to perform these often-risky surgeries. In many instances therapists, dentists, and just some plain jack-of-all-trades practitioners perform these risky procedures and often unregulated. Profits are often valued more than safety. Using the wrong or an inexperienced doctor or health care practitioner can result in serious and permanent damage. It is your doctor’s duty to make sure you know of the risks associated with the surgery they will perform. Not only can your surgery disfigure you, but there is always the risk of blood clots or internal bleeding, hernias, heart failure, infections, nerve damage, necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease), hypertrophic scars, ptosis (sagging and drooping), side-effects from the anesthesia or sedation, post-operative mismanagement, emotional injury, or even death. Other factors that could increase risks are unrealistic patient expectations, pre-operation mental and physical health, and prolonged, multiple concurrent surgeries, and lack of proper pre-surgical and medical screening.

Injuries that come from botched cosmetic surgery are likely from a lack of surgical qualifications, experience, screening, and regulations. Far too often patients do not do the proper research before surgery and often select an unqualified practitioner and believes the marketing hoopla set forth by advertisements. Before selecting a surgeon, make sure you do the necessary background investigation. Investigate the physicians prior work experience and qualifications (such as certification or specialization in a specific field of practice). Make sure a pre-operative medical examination is complete to check for potential health hazards during and after surgery. Ask the physician to clearly describe the procedure and follow-up care as well as the risks of injuries and complications. Treat your body and mind like a temple.

Far too often, as many have noticed in the tabloids and TV shows, celebrities are getting face-lifts, nose reconstruction, various breast surgeries, liposuction, and BOTOX injections and getting unfavorable results. These botched surgeries are results from a demand to look “beautiful” and trying to get work done for a quick fix. For some example of botched plastic surgery, please see http://www.topsocialite.com/the-15-worst-celebrity-plastic-surgery-disasters-you-will-ever-see/. Surgeries still carry a risk, such as Kanye West’s mother who died after getting after getting plastic surgery. She had allegedly gone in for breast reduction and liposuction and later was in pain and had difficulty breathing. An autopsy report suggests that she had died from a previously known heart condition and complications from her surgery due to improper pre-operative medical screening (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004119284_west11.html).

Improper or botched cosmetic surgery is medical malpractice. For a claim of medical malpractice there has to be the existence of a surgeon-patient relationship (implied duty to care), the duty of care was breached (reasonably expected standards not meet), injuries or damages suffered, and the damages or injuries were prominently caused by the breach of duty (proximate cause). Its important that if you suffered a botched or improper cosmetic surgery to report it. Reporting is the only way others can avoid the same mistake and consider taking legal action against the doctor who caused your injuries.

The Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers at Reiff and Bily (http://www.reiffandbily.com) work on a contingent fee basis, charging a small percentage of the recovery. They will not get paid one cent unless there is a successful recovery. They have had handled thousand of botched cosmetic surgery claims and have successfully recovered in excess of $150 million dollars from their opponents for physical injuries and emotional damages.

If you are in need of an attorney because you or someone you love has suffered due to a botched cosmetic surgery, please call the experienced Pennsylvania medical malpractice lawyers at the law firm of Reiff and Bily (http://www.reiffandbily.com