Choosing Your Surgeon
Melissa, like all patients, must be comfortable with their physician. Melissa has apparently found this comfort level with me and she has made a connection based on trust. This is only the first step in this process to select a surgeon.
Like evaluating any sculptor it is important to see a broad range of the artist’s work. Consider reviewing cosmetic surgery before and after photos to see particular results. Most plastic surgeons keep these photos on hand for patients to review. They are a useful tool in evaluating results and serve as an important indicator for a surgeon’s personal aesthetic style. It is fair to say that there is, to some degree, variation in both of these attributes among surgeons. Just like walking into a hair salon, depending on who cuts your hair, ultimately determines the style and precision of your haircut.
This week, we completed surgery on two patients who were scheduled for surgery at other offices before they visited with me. They had arranged consultations and scheduled surgery at the other office without telling their friends. After scheduling surgery, they were excited to share the news with their friends. In both instances their friends insisted they come to my office for another consultation. The rest is history. So even though you may have already chosen a surgeon, try to discuss this decision with friends and family. You might be surprised. They may have information that could prove helpful in evaluating your choice. They themselves may have had surgery without your knowledge and their insights might be valuable.
Another fact to consider is experience of the surgeon. It is amazing how surgical design and technique change throughout one’s career. There are increases in efficiency and improvements in consistency of results as a surgeon gains experience.
Finally, patients considering cosmetic surgery might be wise to discuss recommendations with their Internist or OB-GYN, because they have the opportunity to see results from many surgeons. They examine women all day every day and most likely know which surgeons give the most consistent results.
