When you go to a plastic surgeon you are putting a lot of trust in that doctor. They will literally be reshaping the way that you look, the appearance that you will be showing off for years and decades to come. So it’s a big decision to make, how to find a plastic surgeon that will meet all of your needs–and exceed your expectations.
So how do you choose a plastic surgeon? What are the characteristics of a good plastic surgeon that make them the perfect fit for you? We’ve broken it down into six main topics of things that every potential plastic surgery patient should ask before they make the decision.
#1. Is The Plastic Surgeon Board Certified?
It may surprise you to know, but many doctors who perform plastic surgery are not actually board certified in the field. The government does not mandate that someone be board certified to perform cosmetic operations–but we know that good quality plastic surgeons are always certified.
When you get board certification, it means that you meet a certain standard of conduct and have the training and expertise needed to perform all the surgeries. It means that you do continuing education so that you are always on top of the most cutting edge techniques and knowledge.
So whenever you go in to meet with a plastic surgeon, ask them if they’re a board-certified plastic surgeon.
We should note that Dr. Jacono is double board certified as a facial plastic surgeon and a reconstructive surgeon.
#2. Does the Plastic Surgeon Perform the Procedures You Want?
Not every plastic surgeon is qualified to perform every kind of plastic surgery. For example, Dr. Jacono specializes in facial plastic surgery, so you wouldn’t visit Dr. Jacono if you were looking for breast augmentation (but he does have associates who perform those surgeries.).
But when it comes to facial plastic surgery, there are many different kinds–mini facelifts, deep plane facelifts, ponytail facelifts, neck lifts, platysmaplasty, and so on. Knowing what kind of cosmetic procedures you want is important when deciding how to find the best plastic surgeon.
And it may be that you go to the plastic surgeon and don’t know exactly what kind of facelift you’re looking for. That’s normal. In your initial consultation, your surgeon will explain the procedures that they do and explain the pros and cons of each.
And don’t think that you have to choose from what that doctor offers! You should shop around to make sure that you’re finding the best surgeon, so don’t be afraid to make consultation visits with several and then make a decision on which surgeon is right for you.
#3. Do You Like the Plastic Surgeon’s Work?
One of the biggest questions when wondering how to pick a plastic surgeon is what the results of a doctor’s surgery are. And a good plastic surgeon should be more than willing to show you the before and after pictures of their patients.
Get a feel for how the doctor sculpts the face and see if their aesthetic matches what you want. Different plastic surgeons perform the same procedures and get different results, which can be attributed both to the surgeon’s skill level and also to their personal taste. Plastic surgery is an art form, and different plastic surgeons have different artistic senses.
So browse the many before and after pictures, which should be on any reputable plastic surgeon’s website, to see if they have the look that you’re going for. If the results of the plastic surgery match what you want, then great! You should pick that surgeon. If the results don’t look as good to you, then maybe choose someone else.
#4. Understand the Operating Procedure
When you’re going into surgery like this you’re going to want to make sure that you’re in good hands. And there are important patient safety matters that should be remembered.
For example, the operating room should be an officially accredited operating room. There are many organizations that will grant accreditation to an operating facility, but they include such groups as the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), The Joint Commission (TJC), the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), and several more.
You can ask anyone at your plastic surgeon’s office where they do their surgery and what the accreditation of the operating room is, and they should be able to look that information up for you. If a plastic surgeon does not tell you, does not know, or refuses to answer the question, that’s a big red flag that you need a different surgeon.
#5. How Comfortable Do You Feel In the Surgeon’s Care?
While going to the doctor may be scary to some, be aware of how you feel around the plastic surgeon and their staff. The feeling you get in the office is often a good sign of whether the team is operating efficiently, will take care of you in times of trouble, and their level of professionalism.
If you get a cold or detached feeling from a plastic surgeon during the consultation, or from a nurse when they’re getting your medical history, then there’s a good chance that you’ll get that same cold and detached feeling in post-op, if you have pain that you need to have addressed, or if there are complications, or if you simply need to get ahold of the doctor urgently.
Conclusion
When you have received answers to all of these questions, you will be better able to select a plastic surgeon who is right for you.
Dr. Jacono and New York Facial Plastic Surgery strives to meet and exceed all of the criteria that we’ve listed above. Contact us for a consultation to see if we’re a good fit for you.
