Choosing a Plastic Surgeon

Serving Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Choosing a cosmetic surgeon is an important decision. Like cosmetic surgery itself, it is not a decision you can afford to take lightly.

To help you choose the right cosmetic surgeon, we've created this resource page you can use so that you know the right questions to ask and the right information to look for in deciding who the right plastic surgeon is for you.

EXPERIENCE

Everyone starts somewhere, but that doesn't mean that you have to let someone start on you. Cosmetic surgery is both an art and a science. An experienced, seasoned surgeon will not only be familiar with the intricacies of the human anatomy required to perform your procedure safely and wisely, but he or she must also have a keen eye for aesthetics and the experience to help guide you in selecting just the right procedures to achieve your personal goals.

Dr. Barber has almost thirty years experience practicing medicine, and he works exclusively in the field of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, including the very latest and best new techniques and technologies available today.

CERTIFICATION OF YOUR SURGEON

Everyone has heard the phrase "board-certified", but very few people know what it means or what to look for. By choosing a plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a patient can be assured that the doctor has graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of additional residency-usually three years of general surgery and two years of plastic surgery.

To be certified by the ABPS, a doctor must also practice plastic surgery for two years and pass comprehensive written and oral exams. Certification by other boards does not give you the same protection. Other boards have less strict criteria for certification and some require only a fee.

DEDICATION TO PATIENT SATISFICATION

One often overlooked skill in medical professionals, and particularly in cosmetic surgeons, is the ability to listen to and understand their patients' needs and to share their visions with them. Not everyone has the same ideals for beauty, and not everyone shares the same aesthetic vision.

That's why it's important that you not only ask your surgeon questions, but that your surgeon also asks you questions.

Dr. Barber doesn't just listen to his patients himself. He ensures that every member of his staff does, too. His goal, and the goal of his practice, is to ensure that every patient fully understands the options available, but that every patient leaves his office happy with his or her new look.

Take a look at some of Dr. Barber's work and his patients' testimonials to see how Dr. Barber has helped them achieve their personal goals.