Four widely known and respected medical specialty groups recently announced the formation of the Physicians Aesthetic Coalition—a new, interdisciplinary organization designed to champion patient education and safety in aesthetic medicine.

Organizations involved in the Coalition include the:

• American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
• American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS)
• American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)
• American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS)

Each organization has a long history of promoting patient education and safety initiatives, however this is the first time these groups have worked cooperatively toward the goal of helping the public get better informed about cosmetic plastic and dermatologic surgery.

Dr. Felmont Eaves, III, president of the ASAPS, cites the increasing popularity of aesthetic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic treatments, as well as the rising number of unqualified practitioners and unproven technologies in the industry, as the motivating force behind the formation of the Physicians Aesthetic Coalition.

“This is a significant patient safety issue,” said Dr. Eaves. “Through the Coalition, we can address these issues on a stronger platform than we could individually, using credible medical evidence to help patients make informed decisions.”

ASDS President Dr. Jeffery Dover also added that one of the primary objectives of the Physicians Aesthetic Coalition will be to provide patients undergoing popular surgical procedures such as blepharoplasty, liposuction and breast augmentation or new, non-surgical cosmetic treatments with reliable, unbiased educational resources.
“One of the Coalition’s founding principles is to develop educational forums for the public and media, transparent and free of commercial bias,” said Dr. Dover. “Over the next several months we will be announcing new resources to help [patients] differentiate fact from fiction.”

According to Dr. Jonathan Sykes, president of the AAFPRS, the Coalition represents the unified voices of more than 8,000 board certified physicians specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face, body, eyes and skin. And at a time when the news seems dominated by awful plastic surgery stories and gimmicks galore, prospective patients can certainly rest easier knowing that there are physicians out there who really care about their well-being, not just making a buck.

“Nothing is more important to us, both as a medical society and as individual physicians, than keeping our patients safe,” says ASOPRS President Dr. Jeffrey A. Nerad. “We are hopeful that this new Coalition will help us in achieving this end.”