How To Choose a Cosmetic Surgeon

Eliminate Confusion. Get Informed

Many of us have an implicit trust in our doctors. Maybe a family member or friend has recommended them. Maybe their web site looked nice. Many of us simply want to trust them because we need the peace of mind, that reassurance that we are making a good decision.

When it comes to plastic surgery, it is imperative that you take the time to become well informed, to research all of your options and to be critical of the information you discover. Unfortunately, a lack of proper legislation in Canada has resulted in many consumers making poor decisions regarding their health by choosing a doctor who has NOT received the appropriate plastic surgery training.

Lack of appropriate legislation means that Cosmetic Surgery can be performed by anyone who is licensed as a doctor. There is no formal specialty of “Cosmetic Surgery”, nor any regulations regarding which physicians can assume the designation of “Cosmetic Surgeon”. Also, because of the lucrative nature of the cosmetic surgery, it’s not unheard of to find individuals who are not doctors, and have minimal to no medical background, who perform cosmetic surgery procedures!
It is up to you the consumer to ensure that the person you are seeing has the proper qualifications and training. There are more than 150 self-designated boards and societies, but only The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Certification ensures that the surgeon has gone through the appropriate training and has passed a national exam to assess knowledge, skill, and safety.

Dr. Martin Jugenburg has obtained this certification. Dr. Jugenburg is certified by the Royal College of Physicians of Canada as a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. He also holds a medical degree from the University of Toronto and was one of the few applicants selected worldwide to train at the internationally renowned Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where he learned from the top plastic surgeons in the world. Dr. Jugenburg is currently a member in good standing with several nationally recognized medical associations and has years of experience performing cosmetic and reconstructive surgeries.


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Is Your Doctor a Plastic Surgeon?

To ensure that your doctor is a certified specialist in Plastic Surgery, a number of organizations in Canada can help:

• Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons (1-800-665-5415)
• Canadian Society for Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Plastic Surgery (1-800-263-4429)
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (1-800-668-3740)
• The College of Physicians and Surgeons of your province

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Reliable Sources of Certification in Canada

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

• requires the surgeon to pass a rigorous training program and a final exam

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The Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons

• requires the applicant to have trained in an accredited Plastic Surgery Training Program

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The Canadian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons

• requires the applicant to fulfill all the requirement for the above qualifications, in addition to documented history of four years in practice in good standing

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Unreliable Sources of Certification

Note that “Membership” here does NOT represent any qualification or training. Click on the links below to review their membership criteria.

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

• No surgical examination / qualification required.
• Membership fee of $350 annually buys a ‘certification’

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American Society of Cosmetic Breast Surgery

• No surgical examination / qualification required.
• Membership fee of $300 annually buys a ‘certification’

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Canadian Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

• No surgical examination / qualification required.
• Membership fee of $300 annually buys a ‘certification’

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American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc.

• No surgical examination / qualification required.
• Membership fee of $200 annually buys a ‘certification’

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American Academy of Liposuction Surgery

• this Academy has no known website and we were not able to verify their existence and their requirements for certification

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Many other American and International “Academies” and “Societies” that are created to sell fancy looking titles and diplomas to members who simply pay membership fees.