Choosing a Plastic Surgeon
Three words summarize the most important characteristics to look for when choosing a cosmetic or plastic surgeon: qualifications, experience and comfort.
1. Qualifications count - Medical professionals in the United States have well-defined, stringent requirements for their professional training in every specialty. Any licensed physician can call himself or herself a cosmetic surgeon, so the importance of finding a properly trained and certified provider is critical. Plastic surgeons are accredited by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (www.abplsurg.org) and Facial Plastic Surgeons are accredited by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (www.abfprs.org). These Boards are dedicated exclusively to the board certification of qualified individuals. If you're considering breast or body surgery, check www.abplsurg.org to make sure the surgeon you are considering is board-certified. If considering facial surgery, you'll want to check www.abfprs.org to make certain the surgeon you are considering is a board certified specialist in facial surgery.
2. Training: The making of a skilled surgeon – Not only is it important to know where your surgeon went to medical school, you’ll also want to know where and what type of general and plastic surgery training he/she received. There are many training programs that claim to be in plastic surgery, so make sure your surgeon completed an accredited plastic surgery training program of a minimum of 2 years. Most accredited plastic surgery training programs start cosmetic training immediately, giving their residents an intense and extended cosmetic surgery experience. You’ll rest easier knowing that the accredited plastic surgery fellowship training has provided your surgeon with an intense surgical experience and skill in all areas of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.
3. Hospital Privileges- A measure of safety- It is important to know if your surgeon has privileges to perform your procedure at an accredited hospital in your community even if the surgery is to be performed in the doctor’s own surgical facility. If for some reason you require hospitalization, the surgeon can admit you for inpatient care. Most hospitals intensely scrutinize physicians who are applying for privileges. This application process usually takes time as all of the physician’s credentials are verified, and usually approved and voted upon by a group of peers. Even though a physician may have privileges at a hospital, he or she may not have privileges to perform your procedure at that hospital due to inadequate or inappropriate training or due to lack of proper credentialing. Be sure to specifically ask if your surgeon can perform the procedure you are considering at a hospital and call the hospital to make sure your surgeon has privileges in plastic surgery.
4. Experience matters - The best indicator of how well a physician performs a particular procedure is how frequently he/she has performed it in the past. Make sure you ask about the doctor's experience doing the specific procedure you are considering with the particular techniques he/she is recommending. And don't just get a count. Find out how many of those procedures were successful. Talk to past patients to get a first-hand account of their experience with the physician. Look at before and after pictures and draw your own conclusions.
5. Comfort rules - Even if a physician is fully qualified and experienced with a procedure, that person may not be right for you. You need a physician who communicates openly with you, answers your questions and gives you the time you need to understand the technicalities. You need a physician who appears to have the same expectation for the outcome as you do. Most importantly, you need a person you can trust to advise you when the choices aren't black and white. Be sure you are completely comfortable with your choice of physician so that during stressful periods immediately before, during and after the surgery or procedure, you'll be taken care of the way you need.
6. Advertising: Although it can be easy to be lured by the hyped promises of a glitzy ad campaign, these campaigns do not necessarily equate with a better surgical outcome. Print media and yellow pages are filled with physicians claiming to be plastic surgeons because they can be listed under any specialty they desire. Advertisers do not necessarily research or verify any claims made by the physician. All advertising claims should be approached with some skepticism and should not be a substitute for researching the surgeon you are entrusting your life and well-being to. |
