Find Best Plastic Surgeon: How To
So many potential patients search the Internet with phrases such as “how to find the best plastic surgeon”, or which sources are the most reliable in making such an important choice. No matter how many times I have been asked this question, my answer never changes. Locating a great plastic surgeon is not always easy, but it can be a lot less worrisome than you’d expect. Of course it isn’t a simple answer, but there is a collective outline I always adhere to:
- Word of Mouth. Usually you can’t go wrong when you’ve had 5 friends who all went to the same surgeon and came out with great results. Your friends aren’t going to lie to you and if they feel their surgeon had great communication skills, or a fabulous aesthetic eye, they’re going to tell you. Same goes on the forums; if you have massive amounts of happy patients WITH PHOTOS available to you and you have their story at your disposal, it is certainly worth a look-see. Same goes with negative reports. Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. But always try and view the person’s before and after photos regardless if the report is positive or negative. You’d be amazed at how many times I have viewed results I personally liked, that the patient was completely disappointed in and vice versa. There are differences in taste, and there are honest to God bad surgical results.
- Background Checks: Once you have a name or two, or three! What do you do? Check their credentials, disciplinary actions and lawsuits. It is easier than you think. Nowadays there are online medical license databases, lawsuit databanks and more. If you can get a satellite image of someone’s house via Google Earth, be rest assured you can find out if your surgeon has had a bunch of malpractice lawsuits. With some states, it can be a grueling process to find out all of the above, but it is worth it.
- Consultations: Now that you have done the above, a meeting is imperative. How do you know if you and your surgeon are on the same page if you do not meet until the day of surgery? You need to meet your plastic surgeon and discuss your expectations and desires, as well as any other questions you may have before you can schedule your surgery. This is an important meeting that you should never miss.
If anyone has any tips on finding the best plastic surgeon, please feel free to post them!
Posted on Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 11:27PM
by
Marianne
in Plastic Surgery Trends and News
|
1 Comment
Marianne
in Plastic Surgery Trends and News
|
1 Comment
View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (1)
These are absolutely the best ways to evaluate a surgeon. Word of mouth is a huge asset for deserving surgeons and a huge liability for hacks. I'd also mention that women should also do some evaluating of a doctor's Web site. I work with a surgeon who offers plastic surgery in Indianapolis and like many other successful plastic surgeons across the country he's put up a lot of resources on his Web site. A well-designed site with a lot of content is one indication that the surgeon you're considering actually cares about educating his/her patients and providing them with a high quality surgical experience from start to finish.