In a large metropolitan area like Atlanta, it can be difficult to find a plastic surgeon that suits your needs. There are numerous considerations – from facility and office staff to pricing and the surgeon. When it comes to optimizing a surgical outcome, the most important variable in the equation is the plastic surgeon. A good surgeon will not only execute the operation properly but will also insist that the facility provides excellent care and that the anesthesia is provided by well-qualified professionals.
Experience is an important consideration but not everything. A cosmetic surgeon who has performed an operation many times can be expected to do a predictably good job provided he or she has the requisite skills to begin with. In the Atlanta area, there are many excellent aesthetic surgeons. Most will provide free consultation in addition to the trove of information the prospective patient can find on the Internet.
1. Board Certification
Board Certification is a minimum standard for your plastic surgeon. However, make certain the certification is commensurate with the service offered. One would not want a board certified pathologist performing a facelift.
Beware of illegitimate “Boards” that offer a proper sounding certificate but don’t require rigorous training and testing as a prerequisite. These physicians offering illegitimate board certifications do not come close to representing the best in their field.
I am board certified in plastic surgery and general surgery (although I no longer practice general surgery). To become board certified in plastic surgery I was required to be a general surgeon first and then received two years of additional training in plastic surgery to be able to sit for the written and oral board examinations.
2. Focus on Patient Education
A consultation with a good surgeon should make you comfortable in your decision. The best plastic surgeon will fully inform you of what is in store for you for a given treatment. This information will include both the good and the bad.
You should expect to see a large number and variety of patients who the surgeon has operated upon demonstrating the pre-operative situation and the post-operative results. I like to show patients at different stages of convalescence, so my patients understand that it is a process and not a one-day event.
3. Open to Answering Questions
Once you’ve made your choice, trust your surgeon. There is a lot of information available to prospective patients these days and a lot of it is valid. A good plastic surgeon will be happy to entertain questions that might arise regarding your procedure. I think patients should be fully informed and I welcome questions.
I also like to explain why I feel one technique might be better than another. However, I see no reason to debate. The operation is made no safer by the number of questions asked. Patients who doubt the judgment of the cosmetic surgeon should seek out an alternative physician.
4. Referrals and Recommendations
If you have a primary care physician or know someone in the medical community, they might be able to help you vet the plastic surgeon. Most of us that have been around awhile are reasonably well known to our peers in other specialties. A few simple inquiries can establish the reputation of the surgeon and hopefully reaffirm your decision.
5. Real Patient Reviews
Like with any other service, a quality and experienced surgeon should have positive reviews and references. Ask to see before and after photos of other patients. Also, ask for references and follow up with the references. Most people are honest about their experience after plastic surgery.
6. No Sales Approach
Be wary of surgeons who try too hard to sell a procedure or worse, bring up an aesthetic problem they think they can solve when you never mentioned it in the first place.
Cosmetic surgery is performed almost exclusively to make the patient feel better about their appearance. A surgeon who tries to plant the seeds of doubt for the purpose of drumming up business is unethical in my opinion.
I tell each and every one of my plastic surgery patients that if they have any doubt about a proposed operation don’t do it.
7. Quality Customer Service
Pay attention to how you feel after talking to the staff and visiting the office. Plastic surgery is a medical procedure. You want to feel comfortable with your doctor and their team. This means you should feel heard and treated respectfully.
8. A Plan for Complications
Even the best plastic surgeons have complications or less than ideal outcomes. Make certain you understand the process should an unfortunate situation arise.
In my own practice, I do not charge a professional fee for the management of complications nor for revisions of suboptimal results. Although the patient ultimately makes the decision, I sincerely hope they agree to a revision if I can make things better.
Call it professional pride, but the surgical outcome carries my signature on it.
Schedule a Consultation
Are you ready to have the body you’ve always dreamed of? If so, I’d be happy to discuss your goals and walk through what can be done to produce the results you want.
Contact our office at 678-566-7200 to schedule your appointment.
