How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon

Choosing A Plastic Surgeon In Austin

Choosing a plastic surgeon in Austin can be a challenging task. We are bombarded by articles and stories about plastic surgeons in print, on the Internet, on the radio, and on television. Many of these articles and websites can be extremely informative, but as with any advertising, the buyer must be aware. The patient needs to keep in mind that the changes brought about by plastic surgery can be permanent and can also be very obvious. Therefore, it is prudent to spend some time and effort to be cretin the plastic surgeon you choose is capable, is understanding of your wishes and concerns, is able to communicate effectively, and has a reputation in the community for consistently doing work of high quality.

When trying to ascertain a plastic surgeon’s qualifications, verification of training is a very important start. The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the only Board for plastic and cosmetic surgery recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, which is the same board that certifies your gynecologist, your orthopedist, your internist, or other practitioners you may see. Individuals who are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery have had a minimum of six years of training in plastic surgery as well as other aspects of surgery. They are therefore well qualified to both achieve the desired result and to take care of any problems that might develop during or after surgery. Practitioners, who have a more narrow scope of practice and are not certified buy the American Board of Plastic Surgery, may only have a limited number of procedures they are able to perform. Other ways to evaluate a plastic surgeon are to verify they are on staff at one or more local hospitals and are approved to perform the same procedures in the hospital as those they perform in an out patient surgery setting.

At your consultation, it is important that you are well treated by the doctor and staff, that the office appears neat and clean, and that the doctor spends time discussing the issues that concern you and answers your questions. It is very important that you have good communication with your surgeon in order to help him or her identify your areas of concern, your options, as well as the anticipated results, and a frank discussion of risks associated with the surgery. When evaluating the physician’s before and after photographs, be sure these photographs are of patients the doctor has personally treated. It is appropriate to ask the doctor for references from patients who have previously had the procedures you are interested in. It is also important to leave the appointment feeling that your concerns were taken seriously and that your questions were answered.

Obviously, there are many other factors that may be involved. One of the references you should seek is from your family doctor, internist or gynecologist to determine if the physician has a good reputation in the medical community. Using these tools to evaluate a surgeon can help to assure a good result and avoid complications that may occur if your surgeon is not properly qualified.