ABFCSDiplomate portal

For patients

Choosing a Facial Cosmetic Surgeon

No law requires a surgeon to be trained in the procedures they advertise. Your protection is verification — of training, certification, facility, and results.

Start with certification you can check

Ask exactly which board certifies the surgeon, then verify it at the source. Any legitimate board lets you confirm certification directly — this site's verification tool is the primary source for ABFCS.

Certification in facial cosmetic surgery means the surgeon's examined expertise is the face, head, and neck — not a general credential stretched to cover it.

Evaluate in this order

  1. Verify board certification at the certifying board's own website.
  2. Confirm the operating facility is accredited (AAAHC, AAAASF, or Joint Commission) or is a licensed hospital or surgery center.
  3. Ask how often the surgeon performs your specific procedure, and review their own before-and-after results for patients who resemble you.
  4. Check your state medical board for license status and disciplinary history.
  5. Trust the consultation: a surgeon who explains risks plainly and tells you what they would not do is showing you their judgment.