It is a common misconception that all plastic surgeons have the same background and surgical training. The number and complexity of plastic surgery procedures had increased and the required depth of knowledge and skills to master a specific anatomic area has increased.

The route a facial plastic surgeon takes begins with a five (5) year residency in head and neck surgery. That training includes an extensive volume of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery focused solely on the face, neck, nose, eyes, and hair. Head and neck surgery training also includes head and neck cancer removal, restoration of facial nerve function, sinus surgery, larynx (voicebox) surgery, and airway surgery. A wide range of skills are developed by training in these disparate surgery types on the head and neck anatomy.

A head and neck surgery resident then enters an additional year of training in fellowship focused exclusively on facial plastic and reconstructive surgery through the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstruction Surgery (AAFPRS). It is during this year that our clinical and surgical skills amalgamate and crystallize.

The whole process takes 6 years, after which we start as an employed physician in a hospital or private practice or start our own practice.

This focused, specialized training is why the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) says “trust your face to a facial plastic surgeon.”

It is important to seek not only a fellowship-trained but also a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon if you have aesthetic concerns about your face and/or neck.