Okay, so maybe you know what to look for in a good plastic surgeon…But do you know what to look out for? Can you recognize the big red flags which should serve as warnings to make you think long and hard before choosing a particular surgeon?
Please remember that many of the points below are simply guidelines, not absolutes. It is possible for a surgeon to come up short on one of these, but favorably on the others, and still be a good bet for your procedure. However, if you come across two or more of these red flags, it is probably in your best interest to look elsewhere.
The surgeon’s office is less than pristinely spic and span. In my opinion, this one is non-negotiable. Cleanliness to the point of obsession is what you should expect from someone who is going to be cutting into your body. ‘Nuff said.
The surgeon’s before and after photos all look the same. While all artists do tend to have their own signature style, the human body is a lot different from an artist’s canvas. For the most part, all canvases are alike, and if things don’t work out well, they can be painted over or even thrown away. Different people have different senses of what is beautiful, and different bodies or faces require different approaches to achieve the most pleasing aesthetic result. You want a surgeon who can look at your unique face and help you to come up with a plan to enhance your features in a way that still leaves you looking like you, only better.
The surgeon is operating outside of his specialty. While it is certainly possible for an OB-GYN to do a good tummy tuck, I strongly recommend holding out for a surgeon who is specifically trained for and focused on cosmetic surgery. (just like you wouldn’t want a plastic surgeon being the one to deliver your baby)
The surgeon does not have hospital privileges. This is a vital safety concern. First, hospitals usually have stringent requirements regarding surgeon training and safety records before they will grant operating privileges. Plus, this could become very important if anything unexpected should occur during your procedure, and you were to need to be transported to a hospital.
The surgeon’s fee is more than twenty percent lower than all the other surgeons you called. If a surgeon’s fee is far less than others in the same geographical area for the same procedure, there could be many reasons for this, none of which are good for the patient. The surgeon may cram as many surgeries into his schedule as possible to make up for the fee difference in volume. Do I really have to spell out why this is not a good thing? He may be less experienced, less qualified, or have fewer people on his surgical staff. His facilities and/or equipment may not be quite on par with the more expensive surgeons. Cliches are clichés for a reason. You get what you pay for. Hey, I like a bargain as much as the next gal, but I draw the line at bargaining where my health, safety, and body parts are concerned!
The surgeon says he ONLY does one particular technique for a procedure (i.e., he or she only uses one particular incision placement for breast augmentation). While it is perfectly fine for your surgeon to express how he prefers to work, he should be experienced in a variety of techniques, so that he can give you unbiased information and advice on what would be best suited for your unique needs as a patient.
The surgeon suggests several other procedures on areas that have nothing to do with the procedure you’re asking about. If you come in asking for a rhinoplasty and the surgeon recommends a chin augmentation to help with balancing out your profile, or he suggests liposuction in tandem with your tummy tuck, this is perfectly acceptable, as these procedures are complementary and one may enhance your results from the other.
On the other hand, if you have come in for a consultation about a lip augmentation, and the surgeon says, “Don’t you want to do anything about your hips and thighs?”, simply head for the exit. This surgeon is not paying attention to what your needs really are, and is trying to “sell” you surgery that you don’t want by calling your attention to “problem areas” that you didn’t even necessarily think you had.
The surgeon is not listening to you. It is not a good sign if the surgeon is constantly answering your questions before you finish asking them, or otherwise interrupting you. Similarly, if you feel his answers have little to do with the actual question you asked, there is a good chance he is not really listening to you. Nowhere is communication a more important factor than in the surgeon-patient relationship. He needs to listen and understand you. Furthermore, he should speak to you in a way that makes it easy for you to understand him as well. If you’ve ever had poor communication with a hairstylist who you didn’t feel was really “getting” what it was you wanted, you know how disastrous this can be. Hair grows back. Body parts do not. Need I say more?
The surgeon’s behavior is disrespectful, condescending, or inappropriate during your consultation. If you feel like the surgeon is insulting your intelligence, patronizing you, or behaving in an inappropriate way towards you, end the consultation and leave. Having a medical license or even great surgical skill does not mean someone is above the laws of decency and common courtesy. There are plenty of talented surgeons out there who will treat you with the respect you deserve.
The surgeon does not ask you a lot of questions. He or she should ask you not only general health questions, but should also ask questions about what you want to change, why you want to change it. He should be screening you as much as you’re screening him.
