subject: What To Look For In Your Plastic Surgeon [print this page] The selection of a plastic surgeon is not a decision that should ever be taken lightly. Even if a surgeon is recommended by a friend, family member or colleague, that surgeon should still be scrupulously vetted. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when searching for a plastic surgeon.
Check Credentials
Do not allow a plastic surgeons address or celebrity client list to dazzle you. Plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills might have glamorous offices and celebrity connections, but their skills, training and track record of satisfied patients are the most important factors.
Be sure to select a plastic surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. You can find board-certified plastic surgeons at www.abplsurg.org. To obtain board certification, a plastic surgeon must have completed advanced post-doctoral training in plastic surgery and passed rigorous oral and written examinations that test the surgeon's knowledge of plastic surgery techniques. In short, board certification in plastic surgery provides you assurance that the surgeon has specialized training an knowledge relevant to your procedure.
Patients also can and should check a plastic surgeons background for malpractice suits, complaints and disciplinary actions with the state medical board.
Ask Questions
Do not be afraid to ask questions during your surgical consultation. The surgeon should be forthcoming and address all of your questions and concerns directly. Ask how often the doctor performs the procedure you want to have done, if you can see before and after photographs, what the surgeon's revision rate is, and if the surgeon will personally be performing the operation. You will also want to know where and if the doctor has hospital privileges, and who will be administering anesthesia, if it is needed.
It is also a good idea to research as many of the questions as you can beforehand about the plastic surgeons practice, and see if his or her answers are in line with the information you collected previously.
Regarding the procedure you wish to have performed, go over all of the risks and benefits at length, and ask if there are any minimally invasive or non-invasive options that might yield similar results with less risk and recovery time. If you get the impression that the doctor is pressuring you to add additional or more expensive procedures without delineating a clear benefit, you might want to look elsewhere. A good plastic surgeon puts the needs and goals of the patient first, and will never pressure you into having surgery.
Get a Referral
Ask your regular doctor who he or she would recommend perform your procedure. If you have already narrowed down a list of candidates, ask your doctor what he or she has heard about them and if he or she would trust them to carry out the operation.
The selection of the proper physician is critical to ensuring a successful outcome. Be diligent and take all of the time you need to investigate the procedure and think about your appearance goals.
Dr. David Sayah is a board-certified plastic surgeon Beverly Hills. His practice provides a wide variety of surgical procedures for aesthetic enhancement, including breast augmentation, liposuction, tummy tucks, breast lifts and face lifts, as well as non-surgical med spa treatments. Contact him today to schedule your appointment and see what he can do for you.
