The SBCP Annual Congress usually takes place in November. We have just had our 39º Annual Congress in 2002, in Salvador, Bahia, in the Northeast region of Brazil. In 2003 the meeting will be held be in Fortaleza, Ceará, also in the sunny Northeast of Brazil, it was here in 1980 that Gerard Illouz presented liposuction for the first time in Brazil. The congress is usually attended by 2500 plastic surgeons, from Brazil and the Latin-American countries. This year we saw more surgeons from Europe and North-America as for the first time, all the sessions of the meeting are now translated from Portuguese to English. Apart from the National Congress the Society organizes an additional five Regional meetings a year. As Brazil is a country of continental proportions, we have each of these meetings in a different geographical area of the country.
In August 2000 the Society launched to the media and the medical community it's Seal of Qualification. The seal is distributed to the specialists in two forms, a diploma to be displayed on the office wall and a seal to be used on the prescription book. It identifies the true specialists and it helps in the media to teach potential patients that they should look for the Seal of Qualification, when searching for a plastic surgeon.

A surgeon who has this seal in his Office is a plastic surgeon who after medical school, has undergone an additional two years of General Surgery plus three years of Plastic Surgery residency, in one of the SBCP official training programs and has passed the exam to obtain the Title of Specialist in Plastic Surgery, bestowed by the Society and the Brazilian Medical Association. This initial exam promotes the plastic surgeon to Associated Member of the SBCP. After two years in this category he is eligible to sit a further exam and apply for the Titular (Active) category, the highest rank of the Society. He then becomes a full member, being able to vote and be voted for the Board of Directors.

In the year 2000 around 300,000 procedures were performed by the Brazilian plastic surgeons, 350,000 in 2001 and almost 400,000 in 2002. The three most popular procedures in Brazil in 2000 were: Lipoplasty, Rhinoplasty and Blepharoplasty. In 2001 Lipoplasty, Abdominoplasty and Breast Augmentation.

As in many countries, doctors from different specialties perform plastic surgery procedures, and it is difficult for patients to identify the true specialists. One of the tasks of the Society has been to educate the public, informing them, either through telephone enquires or the internet, if a chosen doctor has the proper training. One of the advantages of being a member of the Society is that only members can attend the official congresses, symposiums and courses.

If someone wants to find a good plastic surgeon the SBCP advises that referrals can be made through:

Friends: If you know someone who underwent a procedure and you liked the result, this is a good indication, but it should not be the only one.

Doctors: A family doctor can recommend a plastic surgeon, but you should ask him how many of his patients have been treated by this surgeon and what the results were like. You should also ask if he would send a member of his family to that plastic surgeon.

Nurses: A nurse or a hospital staff member who has contact with plastic surgeons usually can provide useful information.

Hospitals and Health Care Plans: They can provide a list of their plastic surgeons.

Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery: The directory of Members of the Society is an excellent source. It can be reached via Internet, by name or city. This list can also be presented to a family doctor, for more references.

Special directories: In Brazil we have some publications, "Specialty Guides" that list medical specialties by region or state.

Advertising: A list of surgeons can be found on the Yellow Pages, magazines and other forms of media. Be careful with surgeons who advertise too much. Articles in magazines do not necessarily qualify a surgeon.



Luiz S. Toledo
Av. Brig. Luiz Antônio, 4442
01402-002 São Paulo Brazil
Tel: 55 11 38854411 Fax: 55 11 38876437
lstoledo@netpoint.com.br