There are certain important factors you should consider when deciding which physician to choose to address your facial concerns. You should consider how frequently they perform the relative procedure of interest. You should also consider how comfortable they are with the intricacies of facial anatomy, and whether they have been board certified, and approved to perform the given procedure in a hospital setting.

For help finding a facial plastic surgeon in your area, or for more information on facial plastic surgery, you can contact the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS), the regulatory board which qualifies facial plastic surgeons. The American Board of Head and Neck Surgery also provides extensive training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, and is officially recognized to qualify facial plastic surgeons by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

Diplomats of the ABFPRS have to meet high standards through a rigorous program of training, examination, and certification. To be certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS), a surgeon must:

  • Have completed a residency program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in one of the two medical specialties containing identifiable training in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, or Plastic Surgery;
  • Have earned prior certification by the American Board of Otolaryngology, the American Board of Plastic Surgery, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, or Plastic Surgery;
  • Have been in practice a minimum of two years;
  • Have 100 operative reports accepted by a peer-review committee;
  • Successfully pass an 8-hour written and oral examination;
  • Hold the appropriate licensure and adhere to the ABFPRS Code of Ethics.

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) is the world's largest specialty association that represents facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons throughout the world. The AAFPRS is a National Medical Specialty Society recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA). AAFPRS members are surgeons who focus on surgery of the face, head, and neck. AAFPRS members subscribe to a strict code of ethics.

Please keep in mind that just because a surgeon may have performed well on one portion of your body, that does not mean he is the doctor best-suited to treat a different part of your body. We advise you to ask your doctor what their specialty or area of surgical interest is, and what percentage of their practice is devoted to plastic surgery of the face. Your doctor may be a superb surgeon for non-facial surgical procedures, such as breast augmentation or liposuction, but this does not qualify him or her as a skilled facial surgeon.

Facial plastic surgeons, such as Dr. Sparano, focus specifically on procedures of the face, head, and neck. In addition, Dr. Sparano's background in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery gives him extensive and unrivaled knowledge of intricate facial anatomy and the challenges of handling problems and complications of the face and neck.