Advancement in cosmetic surgery has spawned wide interest. Plastic surgery procedures are now safer, more affordable and more convenient. You have many options for plastic surgery. However, choosing the right cosmetic surgeon and appropriate treatment can be difficult with out proper guidance. The following is advice for beginners looking into plastic surgery.

Plastic Surgery Advice for Beginners

When it comes to plastic surgery, avoid a rushed decision. As many cosmetic procedures involve permanence, careful thought is a necessary component of the decision-making process. Examine the reasons you are considering plastic surgery. Is this a choice that you’re comfortable with?

Advice for Beginners Looking Into Plastic Surgery: Research

It’s important to make an informed decision about any cosmetic surgery procedure. Start by gathering information online. Web sites such as DocShop.com are places where patients can educate themselves about various medical treatments. Discover the benefits and limitations associated with the cosmetic procedure in question. Learn the risks and weigh the pros and cons.

Advice for Beginners: Schedule a Plastic Surgery Consultation

A consultation is required before any plastic surgery procedure. This is also a perfect opportunity to ask questions and air concerns. Be forthright about your interest in the treatment of choice. Tell the cosmetic surgeon why you feel the procedure is necessary. Describe your desired results.

Your doctor will conduct a medical examination, evaluating your overall health. As part of the consultation, the surgeon will describe realistic results, along with potential complications associated with the procedure. Other treatment options may also be introduced. For example, facial plastic surgery candidates have various options, depending on the condition of the skin. The surgeon will want to customize the best treatment to achieve desired results.

Advice for Beginners Looking Into Plastic Surgery: Find an Experienced Surgeon

A skilled cosmetic surgeon is essential for a positive experience with plastic surgery. Request credentials from the surgeon. A qualified plastic surgeon is board certified by an accredited association, such as the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Ask questions about the level of expertise regarding your desired treatment. Ask to see a portfolio of plastic surgery photos.

What Makes a Good Candidate for Plastic Surgery?

A good candidate for plastic surgery is fully informed about the benefits, limitations and risk. Candidates for cosmetic surgery are in good physical health, with a grounded outlook regarding the results. To ensure a successful outcome, patients are expected to follow pre and post operative directions.

Understanding the Benefits and Limitations of Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery has helped millions restore confidence about physical appearance. While medical advancement in the field of cosmetic surgery has increased safety, there is no surgery without risk. Possible complications vary for each procedure. Common risks may include scarring, infection, allergic reaction to the anesthesia and numbness. Be sure you understand the specific risks for the cosmetic procedure in question.

While plastic surgery has many benefits, treatment must be chosen for the right reasons. Cosmetic surgery is not a proxy for positive self-image. It will not cure depression or win a job promotion. There is also a chance you may be dissatisfied with the results.

How Much Does Plastic Surgery Cost?

The cost for plastic surgery varies according to geographic location, the surgeon’s experience and difficulty of the procedure involved. Since cosmetic surgery is an elective procedure, it’s unlikely that the cost is covered by insurance. However, financing options are available. Ask your surgeon or visit DocShop.com for details.



Thanks to Keion Moradi for contributing this article to our Plastic Surgery blog:

Certified Cosmetic Surgeon

If you are considering plastic surgery, one of the most important things you need to think about first is to find the right plastic surgeon for the procedure you need or want to have done.

While some decisions are as simple as opening up the Yellow Pages and calling around, finding a plastic surgeon is a much more complex process. Here are some things you should consider before you ever even book a consultation appointment.

Board Certification

You might be surprised to learn that any doctor can perform plastic surgery procedures, whether they are trained in plastic surgery or not. And, because performing these procedures can be a lucrative practice, there are many physicians out there who are enhancing and lifting and tucking who are not board certified to do so.

Any cosmetic surgeon you consider should be board certified in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. You are advised to only consider having elective procedures performed by one who is certified by this board.

The Accreditation of Their Facilities

It is a common occurrence today for plastic surgeons to perform procedures in their offices or in places referred to as surgery centers. These two options offer the patient a reduced cost while offering the physician a more convenient way to manage their practice.

If you will be having your surgery in a doctor’s office or surgery center, make sure that it is accredited. For your own safety, you should only consider having plastic surgery in an accredited facility or local hospital.

Local Hospital Privileges

Even if you will be undergoing your procedure in a doctor’s office or surgery center, your physician should have operating room privileges at a local hospital for the procedure you will be having done.

For instance, if you will be having breast enhancement surgery, you should be able to contact a hospital in your local area and confirm that the physician you have chosen has operating room privileges there to perform breast enhancement surgery.

You want to make sure that the doctor you select is able to use a local operating room if they need to for some reason or if there is an unforeseen emergency.

The Plastic Surgeon’s Experience

In addition to board certification and hospital privileges, you need to take into consideration the experience of the doctor themselves. If you will be having a tummy tuck, then you want to select a plastic surgeon who has performed as many tummy tucks as possible.

You can usually obtain this information by asking the office staff how many of a specific procedure the plastic surgeon has performed. By considering the experience of the physician, you can ensure that your procedure will be performed by the most skilled hands possible.

By taking into consideration the skills and experience of your plastic surgeon, their hospital privileges, their facility accreditation, and their board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, you can ensure that a plastic surgeon is worthy of scheduling a consultation with for the plastic surgery procedures you are interested in. Your goal is to find a plastic surgeon who can be your partner in reaching your aesthetic goals, and to be worthy of it, she must fulfill all of the above requirements.



Thanks to Abigail Aaronson for contributing this article to our Plastic Surgery blog:

Cosmetic Ear Surgery

Have you ever thought about how a plastic surgery consultation is different from a regular surgery consultation?

Usually, your primary care physician refers you to a specialist. They have already decided what they will do based on what needs to be done. It’s pretty simple for everybody involved.

But, with plastic surgery things are very different. You are going to your cosmetic surgeon by choice, to make improvements on your body. It’s all up to you, which means there are some pretty big decisions to be made!

It can seem stressful, deciding exactly what you want done, but that’s just what the consultation is for. The best thing to do is be prepared for your consultation, and make sure that you spend as much time as you need deciding with your surgeon exactly what will be done. Here are some ideas about what to expect from your consultation …

First off, the consultation may be long. That is a good thing! Sure, you want to get the job done and get out of there so you can be sipping your coffee at home watching TV.

But, a plastic surgery consultation is a bit more complicated than your regular medical consultation. You have to go over things thoroughly and completely with your surgeon, and consider all the options they put on the table for you. You can expect to spend some quality time with your plastic surgeon, so be ready for it!

When you make an appointment to see the doctor, what do the clinic staff usually ask you? They want to know your name, address and phone number, insurance information, and a little idea of what’s bothering you.

A plastic surgeon’s office staff will want to know the same things, but they may want to go more in-depth about what you want done. You may find yourself having a pre-consultation consultation with the staff before you even see the doctor!

This, too, is a good thing. This means that you’ve found a good plastic surgeon, who cares about getting their patient exactly what they want. Expect to give the staff some idea of your needs before you go in to see the doctor.

Keep in mind that one of the purposes of the consultation process is to find out if you need what you want. In other words, it’s difficult sometimes to know exactly what kind of operation we need to achieve our goals, and a plastic surgeon with experience and extensive knowledge of specific procedures can be the one who determines how best to reach them.

Most importantly, plastic surgery should never be an impulsive decision.

When you go in for your consultation, you can expect the doctor to offer other ideas. In this situation, they’re not turning down your ideas, but trying to think of better ways to achieve your body-enhancing goals.

Always remember that your consultation is the most important part of your entire plastic surgery operation. What goes on in that hour or two is the main determiner of whether you will get what you want out of your procedure or not. If you are in doubt about the operation, give yourself some time to sleep on it and make sure it’s what is right for you.



Thanks to Abigail Aaronson for contributing this article to our Plastic Surgery blog:

Deviated Septum Rhinoplasty

Even though liposuction is considered cosmetic surgery it still has some of the same risks as any other type of surgery. A good Manhattan liposuction specialist can make all the difference in the outcome of your liposuction procedure. You want the best results possible and here are some tips for choosing the right Manhattan plastic surgeon.

Where - Lipsuction can be done in a variety of places, from a cosmetic surgeons office up to a major hospital. The right setting is important, but not nearly as important as the cosmetic surgeon doing the procedure.

What Cosmetic Surgeon - Honestly any doctor can perform liposuction, so make sure you’re working with aboard certified plastic surgeon for the very best results. There are no laws regarding the type of training that needs to be done prior to performing liposuction. Do your research and make sure that your cosmetic surgeon is both trained and experienced. They should have the knowledge and skills to ensure that your liposuction is successful.

The Cosmetic Surgeons Role - The cosmetic surgeon should do a complete evaluation prior to agreeing to accept you as a patient. This should include a review of your general health as well as your reasons for having liposuction. The doctor should inquire about any past medical history as well as any medications you may be taking currently. Naturally he will evaluate your current body fat percentage as well as the elasticity of your skin. Your cosmetic surgeon should then be able to make a determination of your best liposuction technique to ensure great results.

What to do if you choose the wrong doctor - Mistakes do occur, even to the most vigilant of us. There are a very low percentage of liposuction patients who have serious complications, but if you choose the wrong doctor your chances of a poor surgery increase dramatically. Even if you don’t have complications there is an increased chance that you’ll have a result you didn’t want and aren’t happy with.

Choosing the right liposuction surgeon - These are my 4 tips to choosing the right liposuction surgeon.

Check out the facilities that your cosmetic surgeon will be using for the liposuction procedure. They should be in good repair, clean and sanitary. Ask for a tour prior to the surgery. Any good plastic surgeon will be happy to show you the facilities and answer any questions you might have.

Educate yourself about liposuction. You don’t need to be an expert, but you should have a basic understanding of the different types of liposuction and how it works. This will also aid you in asking the right questions when searching for a liposuction specialist.

Don’t just pick the first plastic surgeon you talk to, take the time to speak with several before making a decision. If there are people that you trust who’ve already had liposuction or another plastic surgery get their opinion. Your primary care physician could be another good source of information about good plastic surgeons.

Research the doctor’s background and history. Make sure they are well trained and experienced and hopefully board certified to practice liposuction.

New York is a large diverse city and finding a great liposuction doctor should be easy. Just take your time when choosing a Manhattan liposuction surgeon and you shouldn’t have any trouble. Just keep in mind that you’re dealing with your health and appearance and you should be able to make a good decision.



Thanks to Steven Walters for contributing this article to our Plastic Surgery blog:

Breast Implant Removal