To celebrate Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 14-20, 2021), the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) announces a new way for patients to identify a cosmetic surgeon with a particular focus on safety: Cosmetic Surgery Patient Safety (CSPS) certification.

“While all of our board certified cosmetic surgeons are already required to understand and meet high safety standards, this added credential shows patients the surgeon has gone above and beyond in prioritizing safety matters.”

— Dr. Wilbur Hah, Texas cosmetic surgeon and president of the Board

To display the Cosmetic Surgery Patient Safety badge, board-certified cosmetic surgeons must pass a specialized, in-depth Patient Safety Exam in addition to the fellowship training and rigorous exams they completed to become a board-certified cosmetic surgeon. The CSPS logo is intended to reassure patients that not only is their surgeon highly trained in cosmetic procedures: they are also up to date on the latest research-driven best practices for patient safety.

To find a surgeon with Cosmetic Surgery Patient Safety certification, patients should look for the CSPS badge on a board-certified cosmetic surgeon’s ABCS member profile, on their social media or website, or at their practice.

Understand Surgeon’s Qualifications and Experience

It is imperative for patients to understand their surgeon’s qualifications and experience to safely achieve excellent results, whether it is with nonsurgical treatments or surgical procedures. Safety concerns have arisen in recent years around topics such as a recalled model of breast implant, unsafe Brazilian butt lift techniques, and unqualified providers of injectables. All of these issues point to the necessity of board certified cosmetic surgeons, whose training emphasizes both safety and achieving excellent aesthetic results, Dr Hah explains.

“Choosing a board-certified cosmetic surgeon with extensive experience, the highest level of training, and very safe practices is within reach. Once patients realize that, they will settle for nothing less.”

Hah urges patients to take advantage of the free resources available on the board’s website and patient safety blog as they search for a provider of surgical or nonsurgical procedures.

[Source(s): American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, PR Newswire]