Everything you must know about Cosmetic Surgery

As more physicians become involved in this new area of Cosmetic Surgery and medicine, the public all too often becomes confused with advertisements and claims as to truths and realistic expectations in post-treatment results. In truth, medical education is a continuing responsibility. Initiated with basic residency training, proceeds with specialized fellowships, and progresses it to a Board certification process. Board certification implies that the physician has met the specific requirements of training and experience and has passed a written and oral examination on specific medical and surgical topics. This provides the cosmetic surgeon with the basic background tools, but certainly not the finished product. From there, experience, continuing workshops, meetings, seminars, visitations with authorities in the field, and even more clinical experience make up the fine tooling of a cosmetic specialist.

Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Aesthetic plastic/ cosmeticsurgery involves techniques intended for the “enhancement” of appearance of any body part through surgical and medical techniques, and is specifically concerned with maintaining normal appearance, restoring it, or enhancing it beyond the average level toward some aesthetic ideal. A cosmetic Surgeon should therefore be a board certified plastic surgeon with adequate experience and advanced training in various Aesthetic procedures.

Questions to ask your Cosmetic Surgeon during your consultation

It’s important to talk to your APSI Member Surgeon about your goals and your treatment. Feel confident asking about your doctor’s credentials, experience, outcomes or safety record. It is your body, your safety and your life.

• Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
• What will be expected of me to get optimal results?
• What are the risks involved with my procedure?
• How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?
• Will I need to take time off work? If so, how long?

During the consultation, your plastic surgeon should:

• Answer all of your questions thoroughly and clearly.
• Ask about your thoughts to recommended treatment.
• Offer alternatives, where appropriate, without pressuring you to consider unneeded or additional procedures.
• Be open to questions about the procedure, his/her professional qualifications, experience, costs & payment policies.
• Make clear the risks of surgery and possible outcomes.
• Give you information about the procedure you want.
• Leave the final decision to you.