Did you know that most cosmetic surgery procedures performed in South Florida are done in clinics owned by businessmen with no medical background?
And even if they have physicians to do the procedures, some don’t have any training, experience, or board certification in plastic surgery.
In fact, some of the busiest facilities perform procedures on patients using poorly trained physicians specializing not in plastic surgery but internal medicine, obstetrics, and general surgery. Some just hold a General Practice license, which only requires one year of clinical training after medical school.
Even dermatologists are doing Brazilian butt lifts, tummy tucks, and liposuction at these clinics.
The Law and Its Loopholes
You may ask, “How is it possible that untrained and unqualified doctors are performing surgery in questionable and non-accredited office-based clinics?”
Well, a lot of it has to do with the poor state regulatory environment and the politics governing it all.
Laws in 48 states (including Florida) allow doctors to perform plastic surgery even if they are NOT certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
That means that any medical doctor – whether you’re a radiologist or ophthalmologist – could legally perform a breast lift or Brazilian butt lift.
What’s more alarming is the fact that because these physicians didn’t undergo expensive plastic surgery training and certification, they have more leeway in pricing their services.
While affordable cosmetic procedures are highly popular in South Florida, it is important to note that the price may reflect not only where these procedures are performed but also who is performing them.
In fact, there are “liposuction technicians” performing liposuctions and BBLs routinely instead of the “surgeon on record.”
And the last time I checked, there’s no such thing as a liposuction technician, nor is there any formal training to become one.
Beware of the Bargain Bin
Such practices in Florida’s plastic surgery industry explain the disparity in pricing among various plastic surgery clinics.
After all, a procedure’s affordability is directly related to WHO will perform the procedure and WHERE the procedure will happen. These considerations are undeniably the reason behind the abundance of discounts, promos, and bargains in cosmetic surgery.
You have to be careful with these promos as many clinics use duplicitous tactics in marketing their services.
For instance, some facilities are only interested in obtaining non-refundable deposits for the intended services.
You make a call to an inexperienced salesperson. He tells you the procedure’s price and locks you into the “discounted” rate if you sign up now.
All these happen before anyone had asked you about your medical history and determined if you’re a candidate for the procedure.
In worst cases, they wait until the patients finally arrive for surgery, only to cancel them for not being a candidate or having the required medical clearance.
Of course, the patient finds out about this after settling the deposit months earlier and paying for airline tickets, hotel accommodations, recovery house fees, and the procedure itself upfront.
And the contract has a no refund policy.
It’s a terrible situation to deal with after the anticipation and anxiety leading up to that long-awaited day.
As a patient, would you prefer to get your surgery from a specialty-specific board-certified plastic surgeon operating in an accredited facility…
Or would you rather get a markedly discounted procedure with a licensed physician with an unrelated specialty and who may not even be present during your operation?
As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, I will first determine if you’re a good candidate for your selected surgery and provide you realistic expectations after a thorough and thoughtful review of your goals.