If you’re wanting to have plastic surgery done, finding a great plastic surgeon is the first priority.
An expert who knows his or her stuff will be able to guide you through the whole process while putting your interests first. You deserve nothing less. Not only do you deserve the best, you need it. It’s your body, and the results of any operation you have will have a significant impact on your life. The good news is, there are things you can watch for to make sure you end up with the very best plastic surgeon for you. Read on to learn more!
Check the surgeon’s record
It’s absolutely essential to know the care patients have experienced with a surgeon. It’s even more important to know if the surgeon has ever been charged with malpractice. Malpractice suits accompanied by disciplinary action are massive red flags. Visit the site for your state’s medical board and do your research. You can find links to all state medical boards here.
Ensure the surgeon is board-certified
A board-certified plastic surgeon like our own Dr. Schutte has gone through three to five years of intensive training in general surgery. This is on top of two to three years of training in plastic surgery. Board-certified surgeons are required to take both oral and written tests before being certified. After being certified, they have to continue learning more about their field and take a test every 10 years. For your own safety, never choose a surgeon that hasn’t been board-certified. Certification shouldn’t be optional; it should be a requirement.
Check if the surgeon has hospital privileges
Hospitals must do background checks. Outpatient clinics don’t. Make sure the surgeon has hospital privileges and ask where they are. If the surgeon doesn’t have hospital privileges, move on and don’t look back.
Don’t wing it – come with questions
When you meet with a prospective surgeon, you should have plenty of questions to get answered. For instance, you should ask how often he or she performs the operation you need. The surgeon you choose should do the operation about once a week. You should also ask if the surgeon will perform the entire operation or just part and leave the rest up to staff.
Avoid bundling procedures
Performing multiple procedures means higher profit for the surgeon and higher risk for you. If a surgeon suggests doing this, you should probably take a step back. There are some situations in which bundling makes sense, but you need to have full proof of the surgeon’s experience and success before moving forward.
Pay attention to what the surgeon says, not how he or she makes you feel
Unfortunately, charisma doesn’t equal ethics and skill. You may be fully convinced that the surgeon cares about you, will take care of you, and has the proper skill, but you need to make sure there are facts to back that feeling up. We suggest you bring someone along when you visit surgeons. A second pair of eyes can be extremely helpful for identifying red flags you may miss.
If you’re considering breast augmentation or any other plastic surgery procedure, contact our board-certified plastic surgeon to have a conversation today!