The decision to have cosmetic surgery was a popular one last year. According to a report released earlier this year by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there were over 17.7-million cosmetic surgery procedures performed in the United States in 2018. The top five cosmetic surgery procedures performed last year included breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery and tummy tuck. With so many cosmetic surgery procedures being performed each year, patients need to follow certain steps before having cosmetic surgery to make sure they receive the best care possible in order to get the results they desire.
Steps to follow before Undergoing Cosmetic Surgery
Before making the final decision to have cosmetic surgery, patients should follow these steps to make sure they are properly prepared for the procedure:
- Patients should research their cosmetic surgeon of choice to make sure the doctor is board-certified. This information is available on the state medical board website of the state where the doctor resides. The information can also be found on the website of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In order to become board-certified, doctors must complete a certain amount of residency training as well as pass a series of oral and written exams. Patients can also find out if the cosmetic surgeon has faced any disciplinary actions on the Federation of State Medical Boards website.
- Cosmetic surgery can be classified as invasive or noninvasive procedures. If the procedure is classified as invasive, the cosmetic surgeon will likely need to administer anesthesia during the surgery. In order to determine if the cosmetic surgeon is trained in administering anesthesia, patients can visit the website of the American Board of Anesthesiology.
- Once patients have conducted online research about their doctor of choice, they should schedule a consultation appointment with the doctor. The doctor will conduct a thorough physical examination of the patient and make sure the person is in good shape and able to have the cosmetic procedure of choice. In addition, the cosmetic surgeon will ask about any pre-existing conditions the patient might have and any medications that the person is currently taking on a regular basis. Having a pre-existing condition might impact the ability of the patient to successfully undergo a cosmetic procedure. The doctor also needs to know which medications a person is currently taking as they might interact negatively with the anesthesia administered during the procedure.
- During the consultation appointment, the cosmetic surgeon will set realistic expectations about the final results of the procedure. It is important for patients to have a realistic idea about the results that can be achieved by the cosmetic surgery. Some patients might enter the cosmetic surgery process without really knowing what can be achieved by the surgeon. They might not be an ideal candidate for the desired cosmetic surgery or the results they hope to achieve might result in an unrealistic appearance once the surgery is complete. Setting realistic expectations is important so the patient is not disappointed or surprised by their “new look” once the final results are visible to them as well as to others. The consultation appointment is also the opportunity for the patient to ask any questions they have about the cosmetic procedure they want performed by the doctor. They can get a better idea about the benefits and risks of the surgery and make an informed decision about having the cosmetic surgery procedure.
- Cosmetic surgeons often perform multiple cosmetic surgery procedures so they might only specialize in performing one or two procedures while performing the others occasionally. Patients should make sure the surgeon specializes in performing the cosmetic surgery procedure of choice so they know they will be in the hands of a surgeon that knows how to deliver the superior results they desire.
- Try and schedule the surgery for early in the day. Just like their patients, cosmetic surgeons are only human and they can get tired if they have multiple surgical procedures scheduled. Ask how many procedures the doctor performs per day because fatigue can set in which may cause errors to happen as it gets later in the day.
- Make sure the cosmetic surgeon that conducts the patient consultation is also the person that will be performing the procedure. Some doctors have other medical personnel in their office perform cosmetic surgery procedures. By ensuring that the actual doctor is performing the procedure of choice, the patient increases the chances of excellent results after the cosmetic surgery is performed.
- Patients should not plan on driving home after a procedure. Even if the treatment is considered to be noninvasive, it is still best to have someone drive them home as well as watch them for any kind of complications for at least 24 hours after the surgery. If patients do experience any kind of complications following their procedure, they should immediately contact their doctor as well as call 911.
The Steps to Cosmetic Surgery Success
By following the above steps, patients can feel confident that they are taking the proper steps before having a cosmetic surgery procedure. Going into a procedure with realistic expectations and a positive attitude can make a big difference in the way a person looks and feels after having cosmetic surgery.
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