Do Your Homework Before Aesthetic Procedures
By Dr. Valerie Tokarz
Who should be performing my aesthetic treatments?
The American Academy of Dermatology says, "Patient safety is dermatologists’ No. 1 priority. Dermatologists have the education, expertise and experience to safely and effectively reduce the signs of aging."*
What credentials does a Dermatologist (MD or DO) have before practicing?
Dermatologists go through 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school (MD or DO), which include medical licensing exams, before beginning a 4 year residency. In residency they undergo feedback, criticism, and rigorous testing from experienced attending physicians (of all subspecialties in dermatology) and their peers before being allowed to sit for the American Board of Dermatology credentialing exam. These are 4 years of skin specific education including general dermatology, pediatric dermatology, genetic dermatology, skin cancer surgery, laser surgery, and cosmetic procedures. They are the only specialty besides pathology, who must know how to read microscopic skin slides to understand the skin at all levels and disease states.
Can a physician Assistant or nurse Practitioner be board certified in Dermatology?
Short answer, NO. So what does that mean?
PAs and NPs are valued members of the care team. However they are not advanced practitioners in the scope of medicine. Ideally they should introduce themselves clearly to patients being cared for as mid- level practitioners in medicine, and are not specialists or experts.
Demonstrated in this chart is the additional years of education, training, and qualifications met my a board certified dermatologist compared to a PA or NP.
The American Academy of Dermatology says, "undergoing a cosmetic procedure is not just about your appearance and convenience. It is about your health and safety first. A dermatologist has the medical training and experience required to keep skin healthy and youthful-looking."*
What questions should I be asking before an aesthetic treatment?
Who is performing this procedure?
Are they a board-certified dermatologist? If not, are they actively supervised by a board certified dermatologist? And Is this board certified dermatologist available if anything goes wrong?
How often do they perform this procedure?
Are Before and After photos of this specific procedure available?
What results are expected?
What are the risks?
* Credit to the American Academy of Dermatology