Choosing a Doctor

When interviewing doctors for plastic surgery, Joanne believes it is important to interview several surgeons before making a decision, to find the best and most experienced, board certified plastic surgeon possible. As some charge consulting fees, Joanne believes that such fees are worth it to ensure that you are feeling comfortable with your choice, prior to undergoing surgery.

For another patient, Beth, she felt that, as plastic surgery is such a personal decision, it was important that she find a surgeon who understood Beth and her desired outcome. As a “people person”, she wanted someone whom she felt cared about her and would do their best work possible.

Another woman, Rosemary, relates that once she’d expressed her decision to her surgeon to move ahead with her procedure, the doctor exclaimed “I’m excited!”, and his enthusiasm made her excited as well, feeling that she were in good hands.

For Joanne, it was important to first hear from the doctor themselves what they envisioned her as needing, in terms of procedures, and then she analyzed that with her own desires to see if they were in alignment. Credentials were also incredibly important, and Joanne knew that only a board certified plastic surgeon would perform her procedures with the skill and expertise necessary. She also insisted on speaking with some of the doctor’s references.

Another patient, Lynn, agrees with the importance of finding a board certified plastic surgeon. Lynn interacts with many women and often talked with those she knew who had plastic surgery. If she liked their outcomes, she asked who had done their procedure, and the most effective outcomes were from board certified plastic surgeons. She was surprised to find that those she didn’t like were usually performed by dermatologists, leading Lynn to believe that only board certified plastic surgeons have the skill set needed for effective surgical outcomes.

Beth reiterates that knowledge is powerful, and allows you to make the most informative decision for you to help in achieving your goals.