History and Background

The only medical board focused solely on certifying safe facial cosmetic surgeons.

Cosmetic surgery has experienced exponential growth in recent decades, attracting many skilled surgeons to become experts in the field. But not all providers can be trusted. Did you know that, beyond state medical licensure, the government does not regulate what medical procedures a doctor or surgeon can perform? This means that any doctor can market themselves as a facial cosmetic surgeon.

To find vetted facial cosmetic surgeons, patients must look to trusted medical boards to enforce training and safety standards. The American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery (ABFCS) was formed in 2015, born out of this growing need.

From 1979-2013, the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) certified facial cosmetic surgeons as sub-specialists of cosmetic surgery. When the ABCS consolidated its certification to the single area of “cosmetic surgery” — which included procedures for the breast, body, and face — a need arose for a medical board devoted to the art of facial aesthetics. The American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery was established in its current form in 2015, offering a clear path to board certification for superior cosmetic surgeons looking to specialize in facial aesthetics.

Our surgeons dedicate time to mastering facial cosmetic procedures.

While cosmetic procedures can be legally performed by any licensed physician, we hold our facial cosmetic surgeons to a much higher standard. Most residency programs require very few, if any, facial cosmetic surgery procedures, but board-certified facial cosmetic surgeons have gone a step further, dedicating time after residency training to becoming fluent in the deep nuances of facial cosmetic procedures. ABFCS surgeons have either undergone fellowship training in order to refine their skills or proven abundant expertise through their past years of experience, excellent patient results, and notable contributions to the field.

Board-certified facial cosmetic surgeons are facial aesthetic experts.

Other boards certify reconstructive as well as cosmetic facial surgeons. We certify only facial cosmetic surgeons so that patients can rest assured of their surgeon’s training, proven artistry, safe practice, and experience in facial aesthetic procedures.

Learn more about what it takes to become a board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon »