The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery Takes On NewBeauty Magazine

CHICAGO, Feb. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) has published an open letter in response to a misleading article in NewBeauty magazine.

The quarterly beauty magazine recently published an infographic titled "Not All Doctors Are the Same," with the stated goal of helping cosmetic surgery patients make safe choices. While purporting to educate the general public on surgeon credentialing and provide tips for finding a qualified surgeon, NewBeauty published factual inaccuracies that were favorable to their advertisers.

In an open letter to NewBeauty, the ABCS dispels the myths that exist around board certification as it relates to the specialty of cosmetic surgery.

"NewBeauty's article failed to make an important distinction between American Board of Cosmetic Surgery certified cosmetic surgeons and non-specialty trained surgeons," explains Dr. Pancholi, President of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery. "They instead created an inappropriate link between board certified cosmetic surgeons and untrained, unsafe physicians. I would expect more from a publication that claims to be 'the beauty authority.'"

By neglecting to define the difference between physicians operating outside of their specialty training and surgeons who have in fact specialized in cosmetic surgery through a rigorous fellowship and examination process, NewBeauty is creating confusion amongst consumers, according to ABCS.

"Your average person is not well-versed in the particulars of surgical training, education, and experience," Dr. Pancholi says. "Which is why it is the ethical responsibility of publications like NewBeauty to provide accurate, unbiased information in promoting public safety."

The ABCS is committed to providing excellence in patient care and safety, and is the only certifying board to formally require comprehensive cosmetic surgery fellowship training. For a cosmetic-focused publication to state that only plastic surgeons are qualified to perform cosmetic surgery procedures is inaccurate. In fact, a study performed by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that 49% of senior plastic surgery residents felt unprepared to integrate cosmetic surgery into their practice upon graduation.^[1]

"Interest in cosmetic surgery is constantly growing, and surgeon training needs to evolve to accommodate it," emphasizes Dr. Pancholi. "NewBeauty is endangering the public by suggesting they indiscriminately choose a board certified plastic surgeon, when the truth is, the traditional path to board certification in plastic surgery doesn't require cosmetic surgery training."

For surgeons interested specifically in cosmetic surgery, the availability of specialized training and certification is a necessity. Founded to address that very need, the ABCS offers a certification path for surgeons who desire specialization in the field of cosmetic surgery.

About American Board of Cosmetic Surgery: The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) is the only board dedicated exclusively to excellence in the medical specialty of cosmetic surgery. For more than 30 years, the ABCS has demonstrated the highest standards of training, knowledge, and expertise in cosmetic surgery, in addition to promoting safe and ethical practice. You can find more information about the ABCS online at www.americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org

Media Contact: Dr. Samir Pancholi, President of American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, 702-363-0240 or Peter Canalia, JD, Executive Director of American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, 219-836-8585.

^[1]  Morrison, C., Rotemberg, S., Moreira-Gonazlaez, A., & Zins, J. (2008). A Survey of Cosmetic Surgery Training in Plastic Surgery Programs of the United States. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 122(5), 1570-1578.

SOURCE American Board of Cosmetic Surgery