Many people choose a doctor depending on who's covered in insurance plans or by word-of-mouth.
But plastic surgeons are warning consumers to do their homework before having any cosmetic procedure done to make sure their surgeon is qualified.
A medical license gives a doctor the right to practice any kind of medicine, but experts say only those certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery should be doing plastic surgery.
The most commonly botched cosmetic surgery is liposuction.
"It sounds so simple. It seems like anybody can put a little instrument in to remove fat. But some very bad things can happen if liposuction isn't done right,” says Plastic Surgeon Steven Teitelbaum.
You can find out if a doctor has board certification to perform plastic surgery at
www.plasticsurgery.org
