Why It Could Be Risky to Find a Plastic Surgeon on Instagram
The internet just might be the best research tool for the modern plastic surgery patient. In a recent CNN story, New York plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schulman espoused the virtues of the web: “It is quickly becoming a go-to source for millennials,” he said. “In today’s society, patients want to get to know the surgeon before ever stepping foot into the office.” However useful the internet might be, one recent study showed a concerning trend of patients using sites like Instagram to look for plastic surgeons. Instagram is one of one the most popular websites in the world, but there are a few reasons why you should be wary of choosing a surgeon from Instagram.
What Is Instagram?
If you’re not familiar, Instagram is a photo-sharing social network site that’s extremely popular with millennials (think, twenty-somethings posting selfies and pictures of food). A recent pilot study in Aesthetic Surgery Journal was conducted to see just how plastic surgeons were promoting themselves on the site, and what they found should be a cause for concern: in a single day, only 17.8% of all Instagram posts were from board-certified physicians. In fact, a majority of accounts that posted plastic surgery-related posts were from physicians without plastic surgery training or simply aestheticians or dentists.
The Cream of the Crop
Not surprisingly, Instagram’s layout doesn’t exactly highlight the most reputable plastic surgeons. For a certain hashtag, say #facelift, Instagram automatically brings up the top nine posts that are associated with the hashtag. The top posts aren’t based on reviews—they’re based on how many followers the surgeon has and how many times it was liked. This means the most visible posts on Instagram are based on pure popularity—and not about the surgeon’s work. Of course, only a few of these posts were from board-certified plastic surgeons.
Why This Matters
It’s relatively easy for a surgeon to hide their lack of qualifications in places like Instagram; while there an option for surgeons to write their information in their bio, a surgeon could disguise their lack of training with a wealth of content like videos and pictures. Any medical professional can also showcase their results on Instagram, but there’s no guarantee these procedures were performed safely by a trained medical professional. Ultimately, board-certification is a badge of pride, so be wary of any surgeon that doesn’t advertise it in their bios.
What You Should Look for a Surgeon
Patients should look for board certification because it’s a testament to the surgeon’s skill and training; to be certified a surgeon should have at least 5 years of approved surgical training, completed a plastic surgery residency, and pass a rigorous set of exams. Of course, there are other qualifications you should look for when researching plastic surgeons:
- Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Trained specifically in the field of plastic surgery
- Has hospital privileges
- Performs in an accredited surgical facility
- Frequently performs the plastic surgery procedure
- Has a compassionate, kind staff
Picking a restaurant based on some filtered photo of brunch staples seems reasonable–but this is your appearance and health we’re talking about; a little discernment is required. At Restora Austin, we believe that educating patients is the best way to ensure trust and the patient’s safety, and while we like to post to Instagram to educate patients and allow them to see the personality of our practice, Instagram should not be the only place to research when finding the right doctor. Contact us for a consultation, and our renowned board-certified surgeons will educate you on all aspects of plastic surgery and walk you through all your options.
