Plastic Surgery Primer Part 3
By Susan Archer
In the first two to installments of this Plastic Surgery Primer we discussed Liposuction, Cellulite, Scars, Expectations, How to Pick a Surgeon, Pain, What Procedures to Avoid, Anesthesia, and Longevity. For our third go-round we will look at some more insider tips on how to evaluate your plastic surgeon, which cosmetic surgeries are the most common and a list of good questions to keep in mind.
Should Your Plastic Surgeon Do Everything?
It is a little known secret in the field that surgeons often don’t do the entire procedure themselves. They always make the incision and any removals or placements, however doctors often employ a resident or fellow to sew up the incision and even nurses to check and redress the post-operative wounds. These last two are phases of the procedure you want your surgeon involved in. In plastic surgery it is usually the case that a properly healed wound is just as important as the surgery itself; obviously a badly scarred patient is not going to see the results they were expecting.
It is important that someone with lots of experience dealing with plastic surgery does the final sew-up as well as the initial wound redressings. Only someone with experience will see signs of problems early and understand the best methods of sewing up a wound. Often those without cosmetic experience simply want the patient to be healthy. However, the main goal of the patient is cosmetic improvement so the doctor must be able to take these factors into account as well when making decisions that effect the aesthetic outcome. There are also potentially life threatening post-operative problems that aren’t a big deal if caught early and could kill you if not caught in time – you definitely want either your plastic surgeon or a close colleague monitoring you after surgery for the first day or two.
Try to find a plastic surgeon who is willing to stay with you through the whole process; the extra money you spend is definitely worth it.
Check Out Your Surgeons Wife
Most plastic surgeons with spouses have done work on their spouse – don’t be shy to ask. They certainly gave their spouse the best possible treatment so if you see any problems caused by the surgeon don’t even think about it. If they can’t perform well on the one they love then how well will they do with you?
Always ask to speak with former patients of your plastic surgeon as well. If they can’t provide a list of former clients who had the same procedure and are willing to speak with you don’t even think about it. This generally means they are new to the profession or specific procedure and cannot be trusted – at least not with my face and body.
Getting What You Pay For
I’ve alluded to this cliché a few times throughout this primer. Seriously, when it comes to plastic surgery you really do get what you pay for. There are very few exceptions to this rule within the industry. When you pay top dollar for plastic surgery you get top results. The thing is I don’t want you to take my word for it. What I want you to do is use the information I’ve given you and then do your homework. If you follow this guide and you find a more affordable place to get your cosmetic work done that seems to do great work, then by all means go for – just don’t expect to find it.
Questions to consider asking the plastic surgeon you are thinking about using:
Are you board Certified in Plastic Surgery?
How many years have you been performing plastic surgery?
How many procedures of the type I am getting have you done?
Do you have any previous clients I could speak with about their experience?
What medical complications are possible?
How likely/serious are these potential complications?
Do you think my expectations are reasonable?
Will you be the one sewing up my incision? If not why? Who will be? What is their experience?
Will you be dressing my wound post-operatively? If not who will? What is their experience?
Who will be my anesthesiologist? How many years have you worked together? How may I contact them?
Will you check on me post-operation? When? How often?
These are not the only questions you might want to ask, only the ones I consider most important.
You should also be given lots of other information before the procedure, like how long it will take, how long your hospital stay will be, what transportation needs you will have, eating schedule before and after the procedure, etc… Every qualified doctor should review these topics without encouragement. If any of these things don’t make sense to you ask about it.
When interviewing a plastic surgeon be sure to be engaged, don’t be afraid of your lack of knowledge, a skilled doctor should be skilled at giving satisfactory and detailed answers to all of your questions without being condescending or giving you a bunch of jargon you can’t understand. If your doctor is incapable of good communication with you find another doctor who is.
We have come to the end of our Plastic Surgery Primer. I hope that this gives you a good foundation from which to approach your decision about getting plastic surgery and how to pick the best doctor for you. If you have any other questions or comments about my plastic surgery primer or related to plastic surgery in general please leave a comment on my Health & Beauty Blog.