Elie Ferneini, MD, DMD, MHS, MBA, FACS, Editor-in-Chief, American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery

As cosmetic surgeons, we know that different specialties are experts in different things, some of which overlap with others and some of which do not. Our scope of practice generally refers to a specific profession’s own self-described scope based on appropriate education, training, and experience. Expanding our scope of practice depends on our surgical innovation, techniques, research, and safety. Ways to evaluate our success is relying on evidence-based data. 

In modern surgery, new techniques and procedures are introduced on the basis of some kind of evidence, but often with little critical and evidence-based analysis of benefits, potential risks, or comparison with similar procedures providing similar outcomes. However, as you decide on what to incorporate into your clinical practice, you should think about where is the evidence in these techniques and procedures. What can you incorporate into your practice in order to improve your outcomes and patient safety?

This brings us to a very important topic that we need to address in our specialty and clinical practice: the concept of Evidence-based Surgery. Before committing on a procedure or technique, where is the evidence that this technique is evidence-based? Our annual meeting featured many interesting talks and discussions. I encourage all of you who gave such outstanding presentations and innovations to submit your findings to our journal. Our specialty relies on such innovations in order to improve our techniques and patient safety. 

I encourage you to apply evidence-based surgery into your daily practice. Our journal is a nice venue to share your ideas and advances in an evidence-based way, and your authorship will help advance the practice of our readers.

Visit our website to submit your manuscript to The American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery today: link