








	Comments

How To Pick A Plastic Surgeon

The ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons) is a society where membership is granted only to physicians certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. Being "Board Certified" means they have graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of additional medical residency. ASPS will give you invaluable resources regarding plastic surgeons. You may contact them at 1-888-4-PLASTIC (1-888-475-2784) or through the Internet at www.plasticsurgery.org. This is the single largest U.S. organization of plastic surgeons. You can get a membership listing from them and review it with someone you trust in the medical field for recommendations.

The best resource, in addition to ASPS membership, is to ask former patients, friends, relatives, nurses or other physicians for their recommendations. Most plastic surgeons will have a lot of patients who have had the surgery you are anticipating, who are willing to talk to other patients about their experience. Nurses who work in the local hospitals will have heard about, or had experience with, the plastic surgeon in your area. Your surgeon should have staff privileges at the local hospitals. This also means they are reviewed by their peers. Talk with as many people as you can.

Research their education and training, Make sure they have completed a successful residency in plastic surgery. Most will have had both a general surgery and plastic surgery residency.

Ask about their practice. How many and what types of procedures do they do on an annual basis? The surgeon should feel comfortable giving you information substantiating his or her competency in procedures done.

Check to see what memberships in societies the physician holds. Membership in the ASPS is the largest most proficient membership of plastic surgeons. There are also societies such as the American Society of Aesthetic Surgery, and American College of Surgeons, and the American Medical Association. Ask for the address or phone number and inquire into the requirements for the society.

The initial consultation to the plastic surgeon should be for you. Make sure you write down questions you want answered, as you will forget them once you are in the office. The physician should have plenty of time for you and not appear to be rushed or arrogant. No question is too trivial so don't feel intimidated by the MD behind the name. The physician should outline the risks, benefits and any alternatives that are available to you. Be frank and honest with your expectations. Have the physician reiterate to you what he feels your expectations are so you both have a clear understanding. There are times a physician may decline to do the procedure if the expectations you have cannot come to fruition.

During the consultation, the physicians should outline the costs and payment policies. A reliable practice will give you both a verbal and written quote of the costs, and payments and cancellation policies. You should also receive a statement of what will happen if a "touch-up" if necessary and how long in terms of months, a "touch-up" would be done.

Ask the physician about the post operative period and what you can expect. Will there be any bruising, swelling or stitches? How long will it take for full results to become reality? Patients who smoke will take longer to heal. Your plastic surgeon may ask you to refrain from smoking for a period of time prior to and after the surgery.

The surgeon should discuss what type of anesthesia would be used. This can range from a local anesthesia where the area affected is numbed, to general anesthesia, where you will be asleep through the whole procedure. Local injection plus sedation will allow you to stay awake but feel completely relaxed.

Don't feel troubled if a physician asks you questions about your psychological nature. He/she is only trying to make sure you are considering this change for the right reasons. At times a physician may suggest counseling prior to the procedure and explain to you how this may help you.

Get a feel for how the nursing and other staff interact with you and with each other. Do they appear content and make you feel like you are a special person? Do they answer any of your questions with confidence? Do they appear confident in what they are doing?

Finally, you need to leave the consultation feeling comfortable with the physician. If you have other questions or concerns after the initial consultation the physician should be available to see you again or talk to you on the phone. You should have no hesitancy whatsoever before the procedure.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. Founded in l93l, the society is composed of board-certified plastic surgeons who perform cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.