Who performs facelifts

Plastic surgeons

• Training: an integrated plastic surgery residency of at least six years, or an independent residency of at least three years after five years of general surgery or another approved pathway (ABPS training requirements).
• Board: American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), one of the 24 ABMS member boards (ABMS).
• Board requires: an ACGME or RCPSC plastic surgery residency (ABPS), a written examination (ABPS written exam), then an oral examination built on a 9-month case list of at least 50 major operative cases (ABPS oral exam). Certificates issued since 1995 expire after 10 years (ABPS).
• Focus: repair, reconstruction or replacement of defects of the skin, craniomaxillofacial structures, hand, extremities, breast and trunk; ABPS states that cosmetic surgery is an essential component of plastic surgery (ABPS).
• Societies: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 11,000 members, certified by ABPS or the RCPSC (ASPS); The Aesthetic Society, whose Active Members are certified by ABPS or the RCPSC (The Aesthetic Society).
• Lookup: ABPS Verify Certification.

Facial plastic surgeons

• Training: a 60-month otolaryngology-head and neck surgery residency that includes facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (ACGME requirements). The AAFPRS Foundation runs a year-long post-residency fellowship in facial plastic surgery (ABFPRS guideline), open to otolaryngology and plastic surgery residents and graduates (AAFPRS fellowships).
• Primary board: American Board of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (ABOHNS), an ABMS member board (ABMS). It requires an accredited residency, a written exam, and an oral exam on cases from the candidate's own practice (ABOHNS). Some facial plastic surgeons hold ABPS as their primary board (ABFPRS guideline).
• Second board: American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS), established 1986 (ABFPRS). It requires an ACGME or RCPSC residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery or plastic surgery, prior certification by the American Board of Otolaryngology, ABPS or RCPSC (or by the American Osteopathic Board of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery after a 4-year ACGME otolaryngology residency), at least two years in practice, 100 operative reports accepted by peer review, an 8-hour written and oral exam, and an accredited operating facility (ABFPRS).
• ABMS status: ABFPRS is not on the ABMS list of member boards (ABMS). ABFPRS states in its 2022 guideline that the medical boards of California, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado have recognized it as a legitimate certifying board (ABFPRS guideline).
• Focus: the head and neck, including facial plastic and reconstructive surgery and rhinoplasty (ABOHNS).
• Society: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, more than 2,200 members (AAFPRS).
• Lookup: ABFPRS Physician Finder and ABOHNS Check a Certification.

Oculoplastic surgeons

• Training: one clinical year (PGY-1), then an ACGME ophthalmology residency of at least 36 months (ABO), then a two-year ASOPRS-approved fellowship in oculofacial plastic surgery (ASOPRS fellowships).
• Board: American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO), founded 1916, one of the 24 ABMS boards (ABO). It requires the Written Qualifying Examination and an Oral Examination, and issues a 10-year certificate (ABO).
• Society requirements: ASOPRS states it is not a certifying or accrediting body; Fellow membership requires ABO or RCPSC certification (ASOPRS). Fellowship graduates qualify for membership after oral and written examinations and an approved thesis (ASOPRS fellowships).
• Focus: the eyelids, eye sockets, tear ducts and face (ASOPRS).
• Society: American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, almost 1,000 members (ASOPRS).
• Lookup: ABO Physician Search and ASOPRS surgeon search.

Cosmetic surgeons

• Training: AACS states cosmetic surgery has no accredited residency program; training follows residency in a fellowship certified by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS).
• Board: American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS). It requires (ABCS):
  • an ACGME or AOA residency in general, plastic, neurological, orthopedic or thoracic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, otolaryngology or urology, or ABOMS certification with an MD degree (ABCS FAQ);
  • board certification in that specialty by an ABMS, AOA, ABOMS or RCPSC board, waived for plastic surgery residency graduates with a qualifying fellowship;
  • an AACS-certified full-time fellowship of 1 to 2 years with at least 300 cosmetic procedures, including at least 50 facial;
  • written and oral examinations.
• ABMS status: ABCS is not on the ABMS list of member boards (ABMS). ABCS requires a prior certificate from a board recognized by ABMS, AOA, ABOMS or RCPSC, except on the plastic surgery route (ABCS FAQ).
• Focus: facial, breast and body procedures; the ABCS facial list includes facelift, eyelid lift, neck contouring and brow lift (ABCS).
• Society: American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, founded 1984, over 1,600 members; its education is open to physicians from dermatology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, general surgery, ophthalmology, plastic surgery and other specialties (AACS). Its fellowships are in General Cosmetic Surgery and Facial Cosmetic Surgery (AACS fellowships).
• Lookup: ABCS Find a Surgeon.

Dermatologic surgeons

• Training: one approved postgraduate year, then a three-year ACGME or RCPSC dermatology residency; after ABD certification, a dermatologist may add a one-year fellowship in Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology (ABD).
• Board: American Board of Dermatology (ABD), founded 1932 (ABD history), one of the 24 ABMS boards (ABD). Its certification pathway has a BASIC exam for first-year residents, CORE exam modules for senior residents and an APPLIED exam after residency (ABD pathway); the BASIC exam is not required for certification (ABD). ABD also gives a Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery subspecialty exam (ABD).
• What they do: ASDS gives as examples fillers, botulinum toxin, chemical peels, tumescent liposuction, hair restoration, laser surgery, vein therapy, skin cancer treatment and reconstructive flaps and grafts (ASDS). ASDS patient pages cover blepharoplasty (ASDS) and neck lift by cervicoplasty or platysmaplasty (ASDS).
• Setting: ASDS states the majority of dermatologic surgeries are minimally invasive and need only local or regional anesthesia, and that treatment is usually performed in the physician's office (ASDS). The ASDS skin treatments index lists blepharoplasty and neck lift and has no facelift page (ASDS skin treatments).
• Society: American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, active since 1970, over 6,400 members (ASDS).
• Lookup: "Is My Dermatologist Board Certified?" search at ABD and the ASDS member search.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons

• Training: dental school, then four to six years of hospital-based surgical residency; some also earn a medical degree (AAOMS).
• Board: American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (ABOMS), incorporated 1946 as the American Board of Oral Surgery and renamed 1978; it is recognized by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association (ABOMS).
• Board requires: a CODA-recognized dental school, a CODA-accredited oral and maxillofacial surgery residency, an active license, a computer-based Qualifying Examination and an Oral Certifying Examination (ABOMS).
• ABMS status: oral and maxillofacial surgery is a specialty of dentistry (ABOMS), and ABOMS is not on the ABMS list of member boards (ABMS). ABCS accepts ABOMS certification with an MD degree as a route to its exam (ABCS FAQ).
• Focus: the mouth, teeth, jaws and face (AAOMS). AAOMS lists facelift or mini facelift, eyelid surgery, forehead and brow lift, and facial and neck liposuction among facial cosmetic procedures performed by its surgeons (AAOMS).
• Society: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS).
• Lookup: ABOMS Find a Diplomate, which ABOMS states is not first-source verification; formal checks run through ABOMS Verifications. Member search: AAOMS Find a Surgeon.

General surgeons

• Training: at least five years (60 months) of ACGME or RCPSC general surgery residency (ABS).
• Board: American Board of Surgery (ABS), an ABMS member board (ABMS). It requires the Qualifying Examination, about 300 multiple-choice questions (ABS), and the Certifying Examination, a virtual oral exam (ABS).
• Focus: the abdomen, digestive tract, endocrine system, breast, skin and blood vessels (ABS).
• Routes to facial cosmetic surgery: five years of general surgery is one accepted prerequisite for the independent plastic surgery residency (ABPS), and general surgery is an accepted primary specialty for ABCS (ABCS).
• Society: American College of Surgeons, about 95,000 members worldwide (ACS).
• Lookup: ABS Check a Certification.

Boards by specialty

Specialty	Residency	Board	ABMS member board	Board lookup
Plastic surgery	6 years integrated, or 3 after general surgery	ABPS	yes	abplasticsurgery.org
Facial plastic surgery	5 years otolaryngology	ABOHNS, then ABFPRS	ABOHNS yes; ABFPRS no	abfprs.org
Oculoplastic surgery	1 clinical year + 3 years ophthalmology, then 2-year fellowship	ABO	yes	abop.org
Cosmetic surgery	a listed surgical residency, then 1 to 2-year AACS fellowship	ABCS	no	americanboardcosmeticsurgery.org
Dermatologic surgery	1 clinical year + 3 years dermatology	ABD	yes	abderm.org
Oral and maxillofacial surgery	dental school + 4 to 6 years	ABOMS	no	aboms.org
General surgery	5 years	ABS	yes	absurgery.org

Sources: residency lengths and boards as cited in each section above; ABMS membership from the ABMS member board list.

Checking a surgeon

• Any ABMS board: Certification Matters.
• A state license is the legal requirement to practice; board certification is a separate credential (ABOHNS). ABPS calls certification "a voluntary credential" (ABPS).
• ABFPRS states its certification implies no intent to define who shall or shall not perform facial plastic and reconstructive procedures (ABFPRS).
• Society directories show membership. ASPS states it does not independently verify members' certification (ASPS); ASOPRS states the same for its Fellow search (ASOPRS).