How to Choose a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon in San Antonio, TX
By Dr. Michael Baumholtz, MD, FACS Double Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon · Published October 8, 2026
To choose a plastic surgeon in San Antonio, verify one thing before anything else: certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Any licensed physician in Texas can legally advertise cosmetic procedures, regardless of surgical training. That single credential separates surgeons who completed a plastic surgery residency from those who did not.
📌 Key takeaways
- Verify certification yourself at the American Board of Plastic Surgery website it takes two minutes.
- “Board-certified” alone means nothing without naming the board.
- Ask where surgery happens and whether the facility is accredited.
- Consult more than one surgeon. Any good surgeon expects it.
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Start With Board Certification, and Verify It Yourself
Board certification is the clearest signal of surgical training, and it is the easiest thing to check.
A surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery has completed an accredited residency in plastic surgery, passed written and oral examinations, and maintains ongoing education requirements.
You can confirm any surgeon’s status directly at abplasticsurgery.org. Search their name. It is free and takes two minutes.
Why the wording matters
Many physicians advertise as “board-certified” without saying which board. Some of those boards are not recognised by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
- Ask directly: “Which board certified you, and in what specialty?”
- Check the answer against the ABPS directory rather than taking the website’s word.
- Look for dual certification. Some surgeons hold certification in plastic surgery and a second specialty, which reflects broader surgical training.
- Check society membership as a secondary signal. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which represents more than 11,000 member physicians worldwide, requires board certification for membership.
Plastic Surgeon vs. Cosmetic Surgeon: Not the Same Thing
These titles sound interchangeable and are not.
| Plastic surgeon | “Cosmetic surgeon” | |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Accredited plastic surgery residency, typically 6+ years of surgical training | Varies widely; may be a physician from any specialty with weekend or short-course training |
| Legal status | Protected by board certification | Not a protected term — any licensed physician may use it |
| Hospital privileges | Typically holds them for the procedures performed | May have none for the procedures advertised |
A useful question: “Do you have hospital privileges to perform this exact procedure?” Hospitals credential surgeons independently, so the answer tells you whether an institution has vetted their training.
Where Your Surgery Happens Matters as Much as Who Performs It
The operating facility and the anaesthesia provider affect your safety as directly as the surgeon does.
- Accreditation: ask whether the surgical facility is accredited by AAAASF, AAAHC or The Joint Commission.
- Anaesthesia: ask who administers it a board-certified anesthesiologist or a certified registered nurse anesthetist.
- Emergency planning: ask what happens if a complication occurs, and which hospital the surgeon would admit you to.
In San Antonio, hospital affiliations are worth asking about. A surgeon with active appointments at local hospitals has a clear pathway if a patient needs inpatient care.
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How to Read a Before-and-After Gallery Properly
Galleries are useful evidence, if you know what to look for.
- Find patients like you. Similar age, body type and starting point matter more than the most dramatic result.
- Check the photography. Consistent angles, lighting and background across before and after shots. Changes in pose or lighting can manufacture a result.
- Look for volume. A handful of cases may be the only good outcomes. A large gallery with varied results is more honest.
- Note the timeframe. Photos taken at six months tell you more than photos taken at six weeks, before swelling has settled.
Browse our before and after gallery to see what consistent documentation looks like.
What Reviews Tell You, and What They Don’t
Reviews describe experience, not surgical skill. Read them for patterns rather than individual scores.
- Look for recurring themes: communication, honesty about expectations, how the practice handled complications.
- Read the negative ones. How a practice responds to criticism says more than a five-star average.
- Discount extremes in both directions.
Our patient testimonials reflect a 4.9-star average across more than 350 reviews.
Questions to Ask at Your Consultation
A consultation is an interview, and you are the one conducting it.
- Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
- How often do you perform this specific procedure?
- Am I a good candidate, and what would you advise against?
- What complications have you seen with this procedure, and how were they managed?
- Where will surgery take place, and is that facility accredited?
- What does the quote include facility, anaesthesia, garments, follow-up visits?
- What is your revision policy if the result needs adjustment?
- Can I see results from patients with a similar starting point to mine?
Ask about costs explicitly. Our pricing and financing page lists starting prices so you can compare like with like.
Warning Signs During a Consultation
Certain behaviours should end your consideration of a practice, regardless of price.
- Pressure to book today, or a discount that expires if you leave.
- A quote without an examination. No surgeon can price a procedure responsibly without assessing you.
- Agreement with everything you ask for. A surgeon who never pushes back is selling, not advising.
- You never meet the surgeon, only a consultant or patient coordinator.
- No discussion of risks, recovery, or what could go wrong.
Why the Cheapest Quote Usually Isn’t
Price differences between surgeons usually reflect real differences in what is included.
A lower quote may exclude the facility fee, anaesthesia, compression garments, or follow-up appointments. Ask for an itemised quote and compare the totals rather than the headline figure.
Revision surgery also costs more than getting it right the first time in money, recovery, and the limits of what a second operation can correct.
Demand is rising, which means more providers entering the market. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that cosmetic procedure volume grew 7% in 2025 over the previous year, with reconstructive procedures up 6% (ASPS 2025 Statistics Report). Growth of that kind makes verification more important, not less.
Travelling abroad for surgery
Surgery in another country is a genuine option that some patients choose, and it involves trade-offs worth understanding before you book.
- Follow-up care is harder to access when your surgeon is in another country.
- Complications that develop after you fly home will be managed by a surgeon who did not perform the operation.
- Flying after surgery carries its own risks, particularly for blood clots following body procedures.
- Recourse if something goes wrong differs substantially from the protections available in Texas.
Trust the Fit, Too
Credentials get a surgeon onto your shortlist. The consultation decides which one you choose.
You should leave understanding what is being recommended, what it will cost, what recovery involves, and what could go wrong. If you leave confused or rushed, that is information.
Considering a procedure in San Antonio? Dr. Baumholtz offers in-person and virtual consultations, including second-opinion appointments if you have a quote from another surgeon.
Book a consultation or call +1 210-880-3708.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a plastic surgeon is board-certified?
Search the surgeon’s name in the American Board of Plastic Surgery directory at abplasticsurgery.org. The search is free and public. If a surgeon claims certification but does not appear, ask which board certified them and verify that board is recognised by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon?
A plastic surgeon has completed an accredited plastic surgery residency and board certification. “Cosmetic surgeon” is not a protected term, and physicians from any specialty may use it after short training courses. The titles sound similar but reflect very different levels of surgical training.
Does it matter where my plastic surgery is performed?
Yes. Ask whether the surgical facility is accredited by AAAASF, AAAHC or The Joint Commission, who administers anaesthesia, and what the plan is if a complication requires hospital care. Facility accreditation is a safety standard, not a formality.
How many plastic surgeons should I consult before deciding?
Consulting two or three surgeons is normal and sensible, particularly for surgery. Any surgeon confident in their work expects patients to compare. Some practices, including ours, offer reduced-fee second-opinion consultations for patients who already have a quote.
What should I ask at a plastic surgery consultation?
Ask about board certification, how often the surgeon performs your procedure, whether you are a good candidate, what complications they have managed, where surgery takes place, what the quote includes, and their revision policy. Ask to see results from patients with a similar starting point.
Are online reviews reliable for choosing a plastic surgeon?
Reviews tell you about the patient experience, not surgical skill. Read them for recurring patterns in communication and follow-up care, and pay attention to how the practice responds to criticism. Reviews should supplement credential verification, never replace it.
Is cheaper plastic surgery abroad worth considering?
It is a choice some patients make, with real trade-offs. Follow-up care, management of complications after you return home, the risks of flying soon after surgery, and your legal recourse all differ from having surgery locally. Factor those into the comparison, not just the price.
What are the warning signs of a bad plastic surgery consultation?
Pressure to book immediately, expiring discounts on surgery, a price quoted without a physical examination, never meeting the operating surgeon, agreement with every request without discussing trade-offs, and no conversation about risks or recovery.
Why do plastic surgery quotes vary so much between surgeons?
Quotes often cover different things. Some exclude facility fees, anaesthesia, compression garments or follow-up visits. Surgeon experience and operating time also affect cost. Ask every practice for an itemised quote so you are comparing the same total.
About the author. Dr. Michael Baumholtz is a double board-certified plastic surgeon in San Antonio, Texas, certified in both Plastic Surgery and General Surgery. He completed his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College, a fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery at Baylor College of Medicine, and his plastic surgery residency at UT Health San Antonio. He has served as a guest examiner for the plastic surgery board examination. Read his full profile.
