Before you commit yourself to any cosmetic surgery, it is absolutely vital to choose the best surgeon for the procedure you want. This is, after all, the only body you have, and it deserves the attention of a highly qualified, specialist plastic surgeon.

You can ask your family doctor for a recommendation, or you can make an appointment with the surgeon directly. If you make your own appointment, be sure to check the credentials of your surgeon.

All the members of the New Zealand Foundation for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery hold the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in Plastic Surgery. Specialists with this qualification are the only surgeons with extensive formal training in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.

Some doctors display certificates with qualifications not recognised by the New Zealand Medical Council. If you have any doubts about a doctor's qualifications, you can call the Council (04-384 7635) and ask if he or she is a registered specialist in plastic surgery.