New York City is replete with plastic surgeons – bona fide board certified plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons who are otolaryngologists with fellowship training in facial plastic surgery, “cosmetic” surgeons who may belong to any medical specialty and may not be surgeons at all. If you’re not part of the inner circle of doctors and medical careers, you may not know how to differentiate between all of them. Is it better to get Botox at the spa if it’s cheaper? What about fillers? And how about other treatments and procedures – lip enhancements, liposuction, eyelid lift, breast implants to name a few – does it matter? And if so, when does it actually make a difference, and when should you seek out a truly qualified professional?
Having a medical license in New York State allows physicians to practice medicine and surgery in any field, not just the one in which they trained. Cutting costs by delegating certain tasks to physician extenders, of various qualifications, or worse yet to individuals without medical expertise may not prove to be such a bargain after all. The value of specialty training in plastic surgery and experience in aesthetic plastic surgery cannot be discounted. Conversely, the financial and psychological costs of treating complications that might have otherwise been avoided could prove exorbitant. Bargain hunting is best left outside the realm of plastic surgery.
Dr. Olivia Hutchinson is a board certified plastic surgeon in NYC with a practice dedicated to aesthetic surgery of the face, breast and body. Her office on Manhattan’s Upper East Side is equipped with a fully certified AAAASF Operating Room for the safety, comfort and benefit of her patients. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Hutchinson, please contact us or call us at (212) 452-1400.
