Any laws to calling yourself a COSMETIC SURGEON?

[OnMyWayThere]

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I visited a physician in California who is a General Practioner and only practices cosmetic procedures - Botox, Laser, Restalyne, etc. He refers to himself in advertising as a "Cosmetic Surgeon" and has "Cosmetic Surgery" on his white coat. Is this legal? He does do some laser procedures that remove wrinkles and scars and calls them "Aesthetic Laser Surgery"... but is it legal to advertise as a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic surgery?

 

[Blade28]

I think you can pretty much call yourself whatever you want - if someone asks for your credentials, however, then you might be a little embarrassed. 🙂

 

[OnMyWayThere]

I think you can pretty much call yourself whatever you want - if someone asks for your credentials, however, then you might be a little embarrassed. 🙂

I don't think that's accurate... I know that Family Med docs that focus on Derm can't call themselves "Dermatologists" but they can advertise "Dermatology".

 

[Blade28]

Well, true...I have no idea what the state-to-state regulations are on this issue, actually. I do know some people who have gone through a weekend-long training course in Botox, for example, and now (falsely) advertise themselves as cosmetic experts and the like. Bad for patient trust.

 

[clc8503]

I visited a physician in California who is a General Practioner and only practices cosmetic procedures - Botox, Laser, Restalyne, etc. He refers to himself in advertising as a "Cosmetic Surgeon" and has "Cosmetic Surgery" on his white coat. Is this legal? He does do some laser procedures that remove wrinkles and scars and calls them "Aesthetic Laser Surgery"... but is it legal to advertise as a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic surgery?

I started a thread similar to this a few days ago. In it I told of two ob/gyn's that were performing tummy tucks and breast augmentations with their OWN PRIVATE PRACTICE. From what I understand, as long as you have a valid medical license a physician can do what ever he/she wants within his/her own practice. If they work though a hospital, they can do whatever procedure the hospital allows them to do. Their aren't too many regualtions on things like that. However, if he screws something up MALPRCTICE WILL LITERALLY EATS HIS A$$ ALIVE!!! Besides it doesn't sound like the physicain your referring to is doing major. He's not performing facial surgery or lipo. If people don't do the research on their physican, it's kind of their fault (A LITTLT AT LEAST) is things get nasty. Up untill a week ago I had no idea their were so little regulations regarding these simple cosmetic precedures.

Excellent thread

 

[GonnaBeAnMD]

I started a thread similar to this a few days ago. In it I told of two ob/gyn's that were performing tummy tucks and breast augmentations with their OWN PRIVATE PRACTICE. From what I understand, as long as you have a valid medical license a physician can do what ever he/she wants within his/her own practice. If they work though a hospital, they can do whatever procedure the hospital allows them to do. Their aren't too many regualtions on things like that. However, if he screws something up MALPRCTICE WILL LITERALLY EATS HIS A$$ ALIVE!!! Besides it doesn't sound like the physicain your referring to is doing major. He's not performing facial surgery or lipo. If people don't do the research on their physican, it's kind of their fault (A LITTLT AT LEAST) is things get nasty. Up untill a week ago I had no idea their were so little regulations regarding these simple cosmetic precedures.

Excellent thread

How does mmalpractice insurance eat his a$$ alive though? If the malpractice insurance covered him - they are the ones who will lose if he screws up. He still keeps the money he made. Interesting thread...

 

[Kubed]

How does mmalpractice insurance eat his a$$ alive though? If the malpractice insurance covered him - they are the ones who will lose if he screws up. He still keeps the money he made. Interesting thread...

I think that the insurance co will say the physican went beyound his scope of pratice and is not covered for the procedure he performed.