You know you’ve done it…..we ALL have at one point, especially those of us who have hit our 4th decade.  I know I have – I’ll admit I have stood in the mirror and pushed up “the girls” or pulled the skin back slightly on my face.   But to actually go through with it is another story!  Dr. James Beckman, Board Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, answers common questions concerning plastic surgery.   It is a large step and one that should never be taken lightly.

 

 

 

When should I begin to consider plastic surgery?

There are no magic rules of when one might wish to consider plastic surgery.  However, there are several signals to consider. The first clue would be when one looks in the mirror and begins to notice that we look older or perhaps more tired than we remember.  There may be some physical characteristics such as the shape of the nose, scars from a previous injury, skin laxity, or even how clothing fits that have made us self-conscious from an early age.  Any such thoughts provide a valid reason for getting a plastic surgery consultation to get information and answers.  It is never a good reason to consider plastic surgery in order to make someone like us better or to please someone else.  The choice for considering plastic surgery should always be purely for our own reasons.

 

When I decide to actually consider plastic surgery….. what should I look for in a surgeon?

It is important that your plastic surgeon be well trained in order to get the very best results from your surgery. One should inquire and do some research online to see if surgeon is certified by the American Board of plastic surgery. What medical or surgical societies as your surgeon belong to? Has he been at present her at national surgical meetings? Has he written or published any articles on surgery?

Perhaps the most important thing after the surgeon’s training would be the ability of the surgeon to understand what you, the patient, desire as a result.

 

What questions should I be asking prior to having cosmetic surgery?

Your surgeon should be able to answer questions to your satisfaction in every aspect of the surgery. Will your surgery require a general anesthetic, or will it be a local anesthetic with sedation? Will there be an anesthesiologist present? Will there be a separate charge for anesthesia? Is the surgery done as an outpatient procedure? Will the surgery actually be in a hospital operating room or in a doctor’s office? What will be the total cost for operating room and physician fees? If there is a complication, or there needs to be a revision to this surgery, will there be an additional fee?

How much discomfort will I have after surgery? If your surgery is to be in a doctor’s private office, is the operating room certified by insurance companies and/or Medicare? This gives assurance that the OR has all necessary equipment that may be needed if a complication should develop during surgery.  It’s also important to ask questions that may affect your lifestyle. For example, patients that work need to know how long to take off from work, how long before I will be socially acceptable and my appearance is back to normal?

 

While I know there are MANY questions – this is a start!  What questions do you have about plastic surgery?  Dr. Beckman will answer them for you!