1 little-known fact and 3 key questions to ask a plastic surgeon

Dr. Richard Beil has a clear message for patients considering a plastic surgery procedure: Research the doctor performing the operation. 

Beil, a board-certified plastic surgeon, warns what patients find could be alarming. 

It’s a little-known fact that any licensed doctor can perform any surgery they desire. There is no restriction or strict standard that demands the experience Beil can offer as a veteran of 27 years at the Center for Plastic Surgery Ann Arbor. 

“There are things you want to shop around and bargain for, but the person performing your surgery is not one of them,” Beil said. “It’s not like a bad haircut. There are real consequences if the procedure is not done correctly.” 

Do you want an ophthalmologist performing your tummy tuck? An emergency room doctor doing a breast augmentation? A podiatrist doing a facial injection? 

That won’t happen at the Center for Plastic Surgery Ann Arbor, where all four doctors are professionals certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. The certification is a protective mechanism that ensures patients the surgeons are qualified and meet a rigorous set of standards that range from education to accreditation of their operating rooms.  

Looking at the cost of a plastic surgery is important, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of safety, Beil said. Patients should look for a track record of success. 

Beil says three simple questions can help patients narrow their search: 

• Are you board certified?
• In what are you board certified?
• Are you credentialed to do this procedure in a hospital?

It should be a warning sign if the answers are that the doctor is not board certified, is not certified in the desired procedure or that the physician doesn’t have clearance at a hospital. 

Beil and his partners at the center are qualified and certified to perform a wide array of face, breast, body and skin procedures. They are all ready to do a patient’s operation at the practice’s outpatient facility or at area hospitals. The doctors are dedicated to providing compassionate and comprehensive care. 

“I am dedicated to my patients and I want them to have the best possible experience,” Beil said. “It’s so easy for consumers to be confused and I want them to have clarity.”