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Plastic Surgery Consultation Tips |
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Plastic Surgery |
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Plastic Surgery Pre-consultation® and Consultation Guidelines
Step One: Define your goals
The first step in obtaining plastic surgery that will meet your aesthetic goals is to help the plastic and reconstructive surgeon understand the problem with precision. Often, patients feel a general sense of discontent with a certain portion of the body. A generalized feeling is difficult to communicate to a doctor. Actually writing in words the specific concerns that you have will aid the plastic surgeon in understanding the desired surgical outcome. This can be done on a piece of paper, or our online plastic surgery Pre-consultation® available on this website can help guide you through the process.
Step Two: Educate Yourself
Before the first in-person plastic surgery consultation, you should empower yourself with knowledge of three simple things:
1. The estimated overall cost.
Note: Plastic surgery is more affordable than ever in the United States. Seeking plastic surgery overseas is not only unnecessary, but can be lead to undesired results that may cost more in the long term to correct.
2. The procedures recommended by a board certified plastic surgeon to help achieve your goals and alternatives (if there are any)
3. A general understanding of the surgery and the risks.
The online plastic surgery Pre-consultation® process exclusively available on this website is designed around maximizing this step.
Step Three: Find the Right Surgeon
This might be the surgeon that you have already, anonymously, started the online consultation process with, or might be someone that a trusted friend or family physician has recommended. One should also consider if a plastic surgery specialist would be indicated for your procedure (such as a hand or craniofacial plastic surgeon), or whether your procedure is common enough that most plastic surgeons would feel comfortable performing it.
Experts agree that the single most important factor in choosing the right surgeon is making sure you have a board certified plastic surgeon. Specifically, the plastic surgeon should be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery® or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada®. There are several “imposter” boards, which sound very similar to the above mentioned boards, so asking by name will ensure that you are not being misled. All surgeons on this site are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery® or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada®.
Step Four: The Consultation
If you have followed steps one through three above then you are ready for the in-person consultation. Do not be afraid to ask your surgeon the “tough” questions that you have formulated from your research during the Pre-consultation® process. The doctor’s responses to these questions will give you a better feel for the type of person that he or she is. Most cosmetic surgeons will have books or databases of before and after pictures to show their past work. It is ok to ask to see these pictures if they are not offered to you.
Other important points are to ask about post-operative care. What if there is an infection or other complication? Who will take care of you? Will it cost extra, or is it covered under the single fee? Similarly, what if the results are unsatisfactory? Will one revision be covered, or will that cost extra?
The plastic surgery center the surgeon operates in is also of importance. Make sure it is an accredited, state licensed, or Medicare certified facility. This will ensure all proper safety and sanitary precautions are accounted for.
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