Choosing a surgeon
A guide to choosing
the right surgeon for you.
Choosing your surgeon is not like choosing a hairdresser, and it certainly is not like shopping for clothes in the sales, so you should never treat it as such.
The popularity of plastic surgery is growing rapidly and more and more doctors or even non medical professionals are trying to get on the train.
Any licensed physician can call himself or herself a cosmetic surgeon. Dermatologists, ENTs or even Gynecologists can call themselves "Cosmetic Surgeons".
You wouldn't want a plastic surgeon to remove your tonsils, so why would you want an ENT surgeon or a dermatologist perform your breast augmentation?
Even worse, there are numerous other physicians performing "Cosmetic Medicine", so the importance of finding a properly trained and certified surgeon is paramount.
You should take your time researching your surgeon, checking out his/her qualifications and enquiring about the hospitals or facilities he/she operates in.
Make sure your plastic surgeon spends time listening to you and explaining the surgery to you.
Avoid bargain-basement cosmetic surgery centers. These may offer lower prices but most of the time they are not accredited facilities. They often hire surgeons by the hour to operate on patients they know nothing about. Make sure you know who your surgeon is, and insist on having direct contact with your surgeon before and after the surgery. Avoid clinics that have patient coordinators or managers talking to you about your surgery. Surgery is a big deal and it should only be dealt with by trained physicians.
Don't get fooled by spectacular before and after surgery photos. Surgeons will only show you their best results, and some surgeons may not even show you their own!
Make sure your surgeon talks to you about indications, contraindications and all the possible complications. Do not trust surgeons who only talk about achieving excellent results and never mention complications. Complications do happen, but a good surgeon knows how to minimize the risks, and manage them successfully if they do occur.
Above all, make sure you get a good feeling from your surgeon, and that you built a relation based on trust. If you don't feel comfortable with the first surgeon you meet, find another.
