Not all doctors are trained to perform all operations — which makes board certification a necessary precondition for any specialized medical procedure, particularly cosmetic surgery.
Last week, a 40-year-old Louisiana woman died in a South Florida clinic from complications of cosmetic surgery. It was the fourth such death at that site since 2013.
With an alarming rise in potentially deadly, yet popular, cosmetic surgeries — performed by uncertified practitioners — public health officials are urging extra caution before undergoing procedures such as liposuction and the “Brazilian butt lift” (BBL). Nearly 18,500 BBLs were performed in 2016, reports the American Society of Plastic Surgery, making it the sixth most popular plastic surgery procedure in the U.S.
