| - | Plastic surgery safety procedures
How to pick the right plastic surgeon? By Lisa Kramer | Summary: Like you would research to pick any other doctor for treating you, the same needs to be done when picking a plastic surgeon. It is important that the plastic surgeon is competent and also has proper backup systems in place so that if something goes wrong you are in good hands. It is surgery, after all. (Related article: Plastic surgery in luxurious, spa like setting) | | | | |
| Plastic surgery is serious and just as with any operation, surgical procedures carry risks. “With the increasing popularity of plastic surgery, combined with the reality show Extreme Makeover, it could be easy for the general public to overlook the serious nature of elective cosmetic surgical procedures,” said Rod Rohrich, MD, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. “But what the public needs to know is that at the highest level of care, every surgery has risks as well as benefits.” (Related article: Can I have plastic surgery safely?)
So before you decide to undergo plastic surgery, you have to make sure that the surgeon is not only qualified to perform surgery but also has a clean record. While most surgeries are uneventful, do not forget that when a surgery turns into a complication, it can not only cause permanent damage to your body, it could also be fatal. If the doctor/clinic/hospital do not have the right systems in place, you will be helpless. (Related article: Reality television fails to disclose the risks of plastic surgery)
The ASPS offers the following suggestions to anyone interested in having cosmetic plastic surgery. - Check Board Certification: Determine if your physician is certified by a board. This ensures that the plastic surgeon has graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of surgical residency, usually three years of general surgery and two years of plastic surgery. (Related: Board certified plastic surgeon)
- Ensure Safe Facilities: Everyone who chooses cosmetic plastic surgery has the right to a safe procedure. Injectables should be administered in a setting with appropriate medical personnel and necessary equipment to observe patients and manage potential complications, as well as provide for the disposal of medical waste as required by Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations. ASPS requires all members who perform surgery under anesthesia to do so in an accredited, licensed or Medicare-approved facility. (Related article: Risks when a technician performs plastic surgery procedures)
- Require a Medical Evaluation: When considering a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure, consult with a physician for an evaluation, as well as a full medical history, to determine what is most appropriate.
- Be Informed: Speak with friends and family about the procedure as well as with a physician. When a treatment decision is made cooperatively between the physician and patient, the physician should explain the risks, benefits, alternatives, and reasoning for the proposed treatment, after which an informed consent document should be signed by the patient. (Related: Offshore plastic surgery)
- Ask Questions: (Related: How to search for a plastic surgeon)
- Are you certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery?
- What is the best procedure for me?
- Where and how will you perform my procedure?
- What are the risks (Reasons for plastic surgery) involved with my procedure?
- Will my procedure need to be repeated?
- How much downtime should I expect? (How to prepare for plastic surgery?)
- Do you have hospital privileges to perform cosmetic surgery?
- How much will my procedure cost?
- Are financing options available?
- How are complications handled?
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