Questions To Ask A Plastic Surgeon During A Consultation

If you are thinking of having cosmetic surgery, you want to be absolutely sure that you are getting the best possible treatment from a surgeon who is fully qualified to do the job and by one who can do it to a high standard.

Failure to find yourself the right cosmetic surgeon can turn out to be a very costly mistake to make, both in terms of the results that you get from your surgery and the money that it costs you in the long term.

For example, if you just rush into cosmetic surgery and don’t take the time to carefully think about which surgeon is the best for you, you may find that you get results which you are not happy with and will then have to pay extra money to get revision surgery so that you can look the way you hoped your first surgery would make you look.

Rushing into plastic surgery can also result in you going with a cosmetic surgeon who is not fully qualified to do the type of surgery you are hoping to have done.

This may be because they are a new surgeon or do not have much experience doing the procedure you are interested in. If you do go with such a surgeon you may end up getting horrible results like you see on TV when they talk about plastic surgery gone wrong!

Keeping all these points in mind it should be obvious that you don’t want to sign up to just any plastic surgeon, but rather you want to see as many as you can so that you can make up your mind as to which one is the best for you.

Even though this may take you slightly longer to do, and may mean that you are unable to get plastic surgery when you hoped you would, in the long run, if you can get a result that you are happy with and without serious complications then taking the time to get it right the first time will be more than worth that small delay.

How To Get The Best

In this article, we will cover some of the most important questions you should be asking your potential future cosmetic surgeon.

The answers you receive to these questions will give you a good idea as to the level of skill the surgeon has, what sort of service you are likely to receive, and most importantly, what sort of results your cosmetic surgeon is likely to give you.

So let’s now have a look at some of the questions you should ask your plastic surgeon before undergoing cosmetic surgery.

If you have a consultation already booked, keep these questions in mind as that will be a good opportunity to find out more about the person who could potentially be operating on you.

Ideally, write down the questions you would like to ask and bring them with you to your consultation so that you don’t forget to ask them. Remember, the more information that you can find out about a cosmetic surgeon, the better a decision you will be able to make when comparing different surgeons and the easier making the right decision will be.

Are You Dealing With A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon?

Board certification means that the surgeon has received the highest level of training, and as a result, are likely to be very good and skilled at what they do.

If they are not board certified, ask if they are board eligible and whether or not they have been trained in the procedure you are looking to have done.

Be sure to verify what they tell you for yourself by phoning up the relevant board of plastic surgery / cosmetic surgery (depending on which country you live in) and verify that they have the name of the surgeon on their list.

Asking this question is a simple way to make sure that you are not dealing with a plastic surgery cowboy, and one who the chance of getting a result you are not happy with or a medical complication will be fairly high.

Most serious complications and bad result come from such people, so make sure that you do ask this question to ensure you will be in safe hands.

Generally, the risk of a cosmetic surgeon not being board certified will be fairly low if you are going with a large and well known cosmetic surgery company.

If however, you are talking with a private surgeon, or a surgeon from a company that you have never heard of before, then the risk of that surgeon not being board certified is likely to be higher.

Question to ask: Are you board certified? And if so, how can I verify your certification?

Do They Have Privileges To Perform The Procedure?

Ask your cosmetic surgeon whether or not they have privileges to perform the surgical procedure you are looking to have done at an accredited hospital.

Hospital privileges mean that other doctors have checked out your surgeon for you, and have determined that they are well trained and have the skills necessary to perform the procedure you want in their hospital.

This is also important from a safety point of view. As in an accredited hospital you will be operated on under sanitary and hygienic conditions. If any complications do occur, then there will also be staff, equipment and drugs available to ensure that you are properly treated.

Not all procedures however, will need to be carried out in a hospital. Minor non surgical procedures for example, such as Botox or laser skin resurfacing, may be carried out at a local outpatient facility.

More complex operations however, such as breast augmentation, abdominoplasty or rhinoplasty, may need to be carried out in a hospital and if so, will be more expensive than surgeries carried out in outpatient facilities.

Question to ask: Will my surgery be carried out in an accredited hospital? If not, do you operate in an accredited hospital and how can I verify this?

Asking the last part of this question will help you to get a better idea of the type of plastic surgeon you are dealing with if they tell you that your procedure doesn’t require you to stay in a hospital. If they do operate in an accredited hospital, then you can be fairly confident in their ability to do the job to a high standard.

Are They A Member Of Any Societies?

If your plastic surgeon is a member of a society for plastic surgeons, such as the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery or The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, then you can feel confident knowing that your surgeon is fully qualified and well trained to do the job.

Basically, anyone who belongs to such a society has gone through a lot of training to ensure that they are able to perform a particular procedure to a high standard and that they know how to perform it safely by minimizing the risk of complications from occurring.

Question to ask: Are you a member of any plastic surgery societies?

Be sure to check out the society they tell you that they belong to. You can usually do this by going to the societies website and typing in the name of the surgeon.

Also, be sure that society is a reputable one and has been around for some time and is not just an unofficial society that they and their pals have set up for themselves to make themselves look good.

How Much Of The Practice Is Devoted To Cosmetic Surgery?

You are much more likely to get a better result and experience out of your procedure if the cosmetic surgery company that you are dealing with places their focus on cosmetic surgery.

If all your surgeon does is cosmetic surgery, then you are likely to get excellent results, treatment and care.

If however, your surgeon also attends to other medical needs and is acting more like a doctor than a full time cosmetic surgeon, you are probably better off going elsewhere as cosmetic surgery is something that they are doing in addition to their regular duties and therefore you are not likely to get the best results from them.

Question to ask: Do you do anything else other than cosmetic surgery?

How Many Times Has The Surgeon Performed The Procedure?

The more times a cosmetic surgeon performs a procedure the better they will become at it. You definitely want to ask about this because some people have had procedures done with a surgeon who has never before performed the procedure and ended up getting really bad results.

It is also worth asking how often the surgeon performs the procedure, because if they don’t perform it very often their skill levels may have dropped.

Finally, ask your plastic surgeon if they can show you any before and after pictures as proof of their work.

In general, you are likely to get the best results from cosmetic surgeons who specialize in one particular type of surgery. For example, some surgeons will only do rhinoplasty or breast augmentation surgery and therefore will be very practiced and skilled at what they do.

Such surgeons are known as specialist surgeons and tend to be the most expensive. You are likely to find such surgeons operating from a private practice rather than with a large cosmetic surgery company. These surgeons will usually be well known in their field, respected and in high demand.

The other type of plastic surgeon that you can go to is a general surgeon. Such surgeons perform many different types of plastic surgery and so are not limited to one type of procedure. These surgeons will usually be found operating with large plastic surgery companies, will be cheaper and less experienced than private surgeons.

They may be experienced in the procedure you want to have done, but because they also do other procedures, they likely won’t have the level of experience as someone who only does one type of procedure.

Question to ask: How many times have you done my procedure before? Do you do any other types of plastic surgery?

How Are You Treated Before The Op?

Ideally, you should be looking for a surgeon who gives you as much time as you need to make a decision, and also provides you with educational material that you can read or watch which will help to inform you about the procedure.

You need to know exactly what will happen before the procedure, during the procedure and after the procedure.

Of course, because that surgeon will also probably have other people booked in for a consultation that day, the time they will be able to spend with you will be limited.

This doesn’t mean that you should be rushed into making a decision however, as you should have plenty of time to ask that surgeon the questions you want answers to, even if that means having to book another consultation at a later date.

A good cosmetic surgeon will make you feel comfortable and informed about the operation you are thinking of having done. Many people will tell you that they use their “gut feeling” when deciding on whether they want that surgeon to operate on them based on how they were treated during their consultation.

Will The Cosmetic Surgeon Perform The Entire Procedure?

Some cosmetic procedures such as breast reduction require two surgeons, and you should know as much as you can about both of the surgeons before you go ahead with the procedure.

Ideally, this would involve having a consultation with both surgeons and then checking up on their background by asking them the questions given to you in this article.

In addition, when you book your consultation, be sure that you are booking a consultation to see a surgeon and not a sales rep.

Seeing a rep is largely a waste of your time, as they will have limited knowledge and will give you more promotional information rather than specific information related to your surgery.

Question to ask: Will you be performing the entire surgery? If not, who will be assisting you?

Asking Questions About The Cosmetic Surgery Facility

Whilst it certainly is important know about who will be operating on you, it is also important to know where your cosmetic surgery will be carried out.

Below you will find some questions that you should ask your cosmetic surgeon about the cosmetic surgery facility they operate in.

Where Will Your Surgery Be Performed?

Ask your surgeon if your surgery is going to be performed in a hospital or an ambulatory outpatient surgery center?

Either of these facilities adhere to the highest safety standards, which means you are likely to get treated well and treated safely.

If your surgeon does not operate in such facilities, you would probably be best looking elsewhere.

Office-Based Cosmetic Surgery Suites

If your surgery is being performed in an office-based surgery suite you want to know whether it has current accreditation. You can ask to see a license and then check out the organisation on the internet.

Type Of Anesthesia Used

There are different types of anesthesia that are used for different cosmetic procedures. Ask what your surgeon will be using on you, and the various risks and benefits associated with it.

Also be sure to check that the anesthesiologist who will be sedating you is a fully trained and licensed anesthesiologist. This will minimise the risk of complications from occurring, and ensure that your procedure is conducted safely.

It is recommended that you use a board-certified anesthesiologist or certified registered nurse anesthetists.

How Old Is The Facility/Equipment?

You are likely to experience better care in more modern facilities as they are usually built to a higher standard and use more advanced equipment. Your stay is also likely to be more pleasant in a modern facility.

However, you shouldn’t automatically discount older facilities as they may have been renovated and upgraded to more modern day standards.

You may also find that some of the best cosmetic surgeons operate from these older facilities, so be sure to go with the best surgeon rather than the best facility.

What Care Will You Get After Your Plastic Surgery?

Ask your cosmetic surgeon what aftercare they provide their patients, as depending on the nature of your procedure you will need a certain amount of time to recover.

Find out how long you can stay in the facility after your procedure, and what sort of care they provide once you get home. Do they stay in touch with you after the procedure? Do they provide an easy way to contact them for help?

The better the aftercare you receive, the better your surgery is likely to be carried out because it shows that the cosmetic surgery company really cares about providing you with a high level of service.

Generally, for longer, more complex and more expensive plastic surgery procedures you will require a longer period of aftercare. For minor procedures, you should be able to return back to your normal everyday activities relatively quickly and with minimal downtime.