So you’ve decided plastic surgery is right for you… now what?
Getting plastic surgery is a big decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to put lots of time and thought into it. Whether you’re getting cosmetic or reconstructive plastic surgery, your surgeon choice is the most important decision.
Here are five tips to follow when looking for the best plastic surgeons.
1. Board Certified
The very first thing you need to know about your surgeon is whether they are board certified or not. In America, plastic surgeons don’t have to be board certified. Any doctor – even dentists – can perform cosmetic surgery!
The best plastic surgeons are board certified though.
To be board certified, a doctor has to complete at least three years of general surgery training and at least two years of plastic surgery training. Then they have to pass multiple written and oral exams.
Just because a doctor is legally allowed to perform plastic surgery on you, doesn’t mean they should.
2. Research Their History
Before even sitting down for a consultation, find out everything you can about your potential surgeon.
You can search and look up doctors on sites such as DocFinder to find out their past history. Additionally, most states have their medical board records readily available online.
Avoid doctors with any malpractice lawsuits against them. Patient reviews are another great way to evaluate potentials surgeons.
Patient reviews are another great way to evaluate potentials surgeons. You can check out Google reviews for the best plastic surgeons or use the Yelp! app.
3. Ask A Lot of Questions And Then Ask More
Don’t be shy when you sit down with a potential doctor.
You shouldn’t walk out of the consultation until every last question you have is answered.
Some important questions to ask are:
- How many surgeries have they performed?
- How frequently do they perform your surgery?
- Who are their assistants?
- Where will the surgery be performed?
- Do they have hospital privileges?
4. Look At Their Portfolio
The best plastic surgeons have done countless operations on all kinds of body types.
If you’re considering lip injections, find people who have similar lip size and shape as you and study the results. For liposuction or breast enhancement, study those with similar body types, height, and weight.
Because skin changes so much as we age, you’ll want to focus on the age of the patients as well.
Look for consistent, high-quality results in the doctor’s portfolio.
5. The Best Plastic Surgeons Don’t Have Red Flags
Throughout the consultation process, keep your eyes open for potential red flags.
Any reputable doctor will act in a completely professional manner and their whole staff will have great, professional customer service.
If a doctor isn’t behaving the way you think a doctor should be or the facility is not what a surgical office should look like, trust your gut and leave.
Besides the doctor and staff’s customer service, other red flags include:
- Discount specials or coupons
- Offering to perform multiple surgeries at once (Not healthy and usually just a way to get more money out of you)
- Too many ads around town promoting their business
- Too few reviews and testimonials
You may feel anxious in the days leading up to your plastic surgery. If you follow the five tips listed above, you’ll feel confident in your surgeon choice.
Trust in your doctor will help you to remain calm and comfortable on the day of your surgery and the days to follow.