Finding The Right Plastic Surgeon

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INTRODUCTION

Finding a doctor to perform an operation can be an intimidating and confusing task, especially when the operation is as personal as a breast augmentation and when there are so many potential surgeons from which to choose. The purpose of this article is to provide you, the reader, with guidelines on how to select your breast augmentation surgeon from the viewpoint of a Plastic Surgeon, as if he were traveling along with you in your decision-making journey.

GETTING STARTED

Since you have successfully found this information through my website it is safe to assume that the Internet is one of the sources you have chosen to begin a list of doctors you would like to consider. Perhaps you began your search by looking under “Breast Augmentation.” Every month over 1 00,000 individuals will type in the same two words, all eager for information, so you are certainly not alone in your interest in this operation. Usually in order to narrow your search you will be asked to indicate the City or Zip Code of the doctor you would like to visit. This is where you should start in making your preliminary list of surgeons.

PHYSICIAN WEBSITES

As you look at the exhausting list of doctors that come up for the City or Zip Code you have designated you will notice that many of them have their own individual websites which you can easily access through direct links. Look at them, because sometimes you can learn a lot about a doctor through their website even before calling the office. Where did they go to medical school? Where did they do their Plastic Surgery training? How long have they been in practice? Are they Board Certified? The answers to these questions may sway you in how you compile your list.
Some websites contain examples of “before” and “after” pictures. These can be helpful, but their importance should not be over-emphasized. My own website has examples of patient photos, but I know of many fine plastic surgeons that do not. Nonetheless one would think that a surgeon who elects to provide this type of information would want to display their better results, so when you come across examples that you feel are unsatisfactory this may sharpen your screening process. Furthermore when analyzing photos note how uniform the before and after pictures are with respect to image size, lighting, and camera angle, and whether the pictures are even clear to make a useful comparison. There are even instances in which the before and after pictures are of two different patients! You want a Plastic Surgeon who is detail oriented and would expect his or her pictures to be displayed in a thoughtful manner, especially when they are being used to promote a practice.

OUTSIDE OPINIONS

Once you have compiled your preliminary list of doctors see if any of them are known to your personal physician so you can elicit his or her opinion. They may have information that may prove, even at this stage, to be decisive for you, especially if the advice is cautionary in nature. Moreover your physician
may offer a referral of his or her own. I know that as a physician I would be foolish not to consult with my fellow colleagues when asking for advice about another doctor. Another valuable source are friends and relatives, most significantly those who have had the operation performed by one of the doctors you are considering.

FIRST CONTACT

Calling the physician’s office is the next pivotal step in the selection process, and one should take advantage of this opportunity to 1) get an idea of the knowledge and professionalism of the office staff, and 2) obtain and verify information. The supporting personnel of an office, among other roles, is an important liaison between you and the doctor, so it is important that they be caring and congenial. Note whether the person you are speaking to is patient a