Have you ever watched Botched® on TV or seen those celebrity photos where some of the richest and most famous people in the world look horribly disfigured because they’ve undergone awful plastic cosmetic surgery? Do these bad results frighten you away from thinking about a facelift even though you know you could benefit from a good “nip and tuck?” Well, I’ve got some great news! If you follow just three important steps, you’ll be well on your way to make sure your facelift won’t be botched!
Recently, I had the chance to interview world renowned facelift specialist, David M. Morrow, MD to ask him about this subject. Dr. Morrow, a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery was named one of the top cosmetic surgeons in the world for skin and facial rejuvenation by the International Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. Not only is he one of the top choices to go to for facelifts and non-surgical facial procedures, Dr. Morrow is a master at correcting botched facelift s done by other doctors. In fact, he has patients who come from all over the world to seek out his expertise. Luckily for these men and women who need his help, Dr. Morrow knows how to undo most facelift disasters. But as Dr. Morrow says, “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!” I want to help everyone get good results the first time!”
Dr. Morrow says the most important decision you will make to prevent a botched facelift is choosing the right surgeon. So how do you do that? Dr. Morrow says here are the four questions to ask to find the right surgeon as the first step to set yourself up for a great surgical or non- surgical facelift.
1. WHAT ARE THE FACELIFT SURGEON’S CREDENTIALS?
Is your surgeon certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in one of the following specialties: Dermatology, Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, or Plastic Surgery? Each of these specialties require at least four years of training including the principles of plastic and or cosmetic surgical procedures. In practice, specialists usually perform plastic/cosmetic surgical procedures related to their specialty training. For example, a physician trained in otolaryngology may emphasize surgery of the nose, head and neck. A physician trained in dermatology may limit his/her practice to procedures involving the skin and soft tissue.
Some of these ABMS board certified specialists also choose to seek further certification by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, the only certifying body which tests knowledge and verifies experience exclusively in cosmetic surgery. In addition to prior ABMS board certification in one of the primary areas of specialization mentioned, diplomates of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery have at least five years of cosmetic surgical experience in private practice in which 1,000 cosmetic surgical procedures have been successfully performed. They must then pass a two-day comprehensive written and oral examination, be reviewed for professional and ethical fitness, and maintain an ongoing schedule of at least 200 cosmetic surgical procedures per year. Frankly, a doctor that does at least 200 procedures a year is comfortable working on patients. It’s kind of like driving, the more you drive, the more comfortable you are driving and the better you get.
2. DOES THE SURGEON SPECIALIZE IN THE PROCEDURE OR PROCEDURES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN?
In medicine as in so many other aspects of life, the old saying “a jack of all trades and a master of none” holds true. A surgeon who specializes in a particular procedure or area of the body and focuses his or her practice on that specialty is more likely to be a master. Dr. Morrow told me that recently he helped a patient who received a facelift from a very fine and nice board certified plastic surgeon but her results were poor. Why? That plastic surgeon’s expertise was in hand surgery not facial surgery. So make sure that the surgeon you choose for your facelift or facial procedure specializes in faces!

3. IS YOUR SURGEON RESPECTED BY HIS/HER PEERS?
If you were a doctor or if you were married to a doctor, you probably could get the “real scoop” on any particular surgeon. But if you are like the rest of us, it is hard to really know who is good from a doctor’s perspective. So how can you find out if a surgeon is respected by his/her peers? Dr. Morrow suggests you check the following: Is your doctor invited to speak at medical conferences and symposiums? Does your doctor write and publish articles in peer reviewed medical journals? Has your doctor been awarded any recognition by professional medical organizations? Dr. Morrow believes that if the answer to all or most of these questions is “yes” than you can pretty much bank on the fact rely that your surgeon is respected by his/her peers.
4. IS YOUR SURGEON RESPECTED AND WELL LIKED BY HIS PATIENTS?
Many doctors will not allow prospective patients to speak to his/her prior patients who have undergone the same procedure. Of course this is well within the doctor’s rights and also keeping with patient confidentiality. But there are other doctors who encourage interaction between prior and prospective patients. Dr. Morrow has found in his practice that most patients who are truly happy with their results are happy to share their experience with others. And it is comforting to know that your surgeon is open to this kind of open communication. But Dr. Morrow warns, speaking with just one or two prior happy patients should not be the primary criteria in choosing your surgeon.
Bottom line: If you don’t check your facelift doctor’s credentials you can really get messed up. It’s very sad but there are physicians today performing facial rejuvenation procedures who are not well trained or not skilled in what they do. Also, some doctors reward “happy patients” who speak to others. So be sure your surgeon has the proper credentials, is respected by his/her peers and specializes in the procedure he/she performs.


My thanks to Dr. David Morrow for this valuable information. If you wish to learn more about him or go to www.morrowinstitute.com .