From beauty treatments to plastic surgery, cosmetic medical care today spans a wide range of procedures that can help you look and feel your best throughout your lifetime.

The slow economy has affected all of us in one way or another. When you get in a belt-tightening mindset, it's easy to forget that your health is not something for which you should not bargain shop. If you are thinking about any cosmetic procedure, surgical or injectable (ie. Botox or wrinkle fillers), remember to do your research. Select a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. These doctors have more than six years of surgical training and experience, with at least two years specifically in plastic surgery. Their training and experience makes them uniquely qualified to perform your cosmetic procedure, with a primary emphasis on concern for your safety.

To help you select your surgeon, here is a guide to the top 5 questions you need to ask your surgeon:

1. Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
Why you should care: Only physicians who have trained in plastic surgery can be certified by this board.

2. Are you a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons?
Why you should care: Plastic surgeons who are eligible to become members of these organizations must have completed at least 2 years of practice following their board certification, have performed at least 100 aesthetic cases in a year, and must be invited to join by a peer who is familiar with their work.

3. Is your office operating room accredited?
Why you should care: Accreditation requires that the physician values patient safety and accepts the responsibility to assure that the proper equipment and staff are in place to provide safe patient care.

4. Do you have privileges to perform this procedure at the local hospitals?
Why you should care: Hospital privileges are another indication that the physician
has the necessary credentials to provide safe and effective surgical outcomes. If your physician does not have hospital privileges, look for a physician who does.

5. How many procedures, like mine, have you done?
Why you should care: You don't want to be the learning curve for the surgeon. Choose a physician who has performed numerous surgeries like the one you are considering.

Your plastic surgeon can help you choose the right cosmetic procedures for you at any age. Because it's not about beauty for a day, for a week, for a month-it's about beauty for life.

For more information and helpful tips about plastic surgery, visit
www.plasticsurgery.org

Check to see if your surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
www.abplsurg.org

See if your surgeon is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons
www.facs.org

Find out if the surgeon's office is an accredited operating room
www.aaaasf.org