Without plenty of experience in Asian plastic surgery, specialization means much less than it may at first appear.

However brilliant a student, a new doctor fresh out of training is not the equivalent of a seasoned surgeon who has been caring for patients and their problems for ten or twenty years.

Experience alone, on the other hand, is not enough. For instance, a doctor whose main attraction is bottom-of-the barrel pricing can perform lots of "assembly-line" surgery without ever developing much insight or skill.

Still, experience is a major determinant of quality that is often undervalued by potential patients swayed by professional public relations campaigns.