Choosing Your Plastic Surgeon

Deciding to have plastic surgery done can be a daunting, if not arduous task. But what people most often forget is how difficult, risky and time consuming it can be when looking for a skilled and experienced surgeon to meet your needs.

The problem is a lot of us aren’t versed in cosmetic procedures, let alone what questions to ask when screening for doctors. The following lists some of the things you should consider and ask your physician before committing to any type of cosmetic surgery.

Board Certification

First and foremost, you need to make sure that whoever your doctor is, that they are board certified plastic surgeons. You can check their certification on your own through websites like www.certificationmatters.org and quickly get information on their credentials. If you are looking for international doctors, make sure to also double check if they are board certified in their country of origin and a member of ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) and IPRAS (International Plastic Reconstructive Aesthetic Society). This will decrease your chances of experiencing a botched surgery quite significantly.

ASAPS Membership and Expertise

In the United States, your aesthetic physician should be a member of the ASAPS or (American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery). This organization can be joined only through invitation and ensures that all participating doctors are certified by the ABPS (American Board of Plastic Surgery) or RCSC (Royal College of Doctors and Surgeons of Canada).

Perhaps the most crucial detail that you don’t want to miss about your doctor is their surgical experience. Since some people are less knowledgeable about plastic surgery than others, this part can be very subjective. But one way to do this is to make sure your doctor has a good amount of before and after pictures for the particular procedure you are interested in doing. This means that if a surgeon has only pictures of breast augmentation patients but you are looking for a tummy tuck, chances are that doctor is not for you.

Questions to Ask

Your consultation with the plastic surgeon is also another crucial part of your journey. This is the time when you can actually get to know your doctor on a personal level. This is beyond simply learning about his expertise and credentials. Instead, take this moment to evaluate and see if you can work with this doctor long term. Remember that any plastic surgery poses various risks that may require revision so it is imperative that you find a doctor who is patient and willing to listen to your needs. Other questions to ask your doctor are:

• How long was your training for the procedure?
• How where you trained for the procedure?
• How many times have you done the procedure?

Bargain Deals

After getting details on your doctor’s credentials and have established rapport, it is time to get to what really matters: Pricing. Since most plastic surgery procedures are not covered by health insurance, chances are you want the best deals possible. Here is where a lot of problems tend to arise because when you start cutting costs, you are also cutting safety.  In fact, most botched or malpractice cases tend to happen when unsuspecting patients try to save money and end up with an unqualified surgeon.

If you ignore the 3 steps listed above, then it will be easier for you to find a bargain deal for any plastic surgery procedure, sometimes for almost half the average cost. But if the doctor is not well trained, inexperienced or God forbid unlicensed, you are only increasing your chances of experience some type of complication. This is when the saying, “you get what you pay for” really counts. Now good luck on your search and happy hunting!

- KT