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If
you're considering plastic surgery...
The term "plastic" comes
from the Greek word "plastikos,"
meaning to mold or give form. Plastic surgery does just
that
- it gives new form to the human body. The specialty includes
two kinds of procedures: reconstructive surgery, or procedures
done to repair birth defects and deformities caused by
accidents or disease, and cosmetic or aesthetic surgery,
including facelifts, nose reshaping, fat suction and other
procedures done to enhance appearance.
No matter what type of plastic
surgery you're considering, the most important factor in its
success is the surgeon you choose.
How can you find a well-trained,
qualified, experienced plastic surgeon? This information can
help you make an informed choice. It was prepared by the
American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), a professional
society dedicated to quality care for plastic surgery patients
through education, research and the promotion of high
professional standards.
Your first step: gathering names
In choosing a plastic surgeon, your
first goal is to develop a list of good candidates. Where do
you find them? Some sources are better than others.
- Friends. If you know
someone who's had a procedure like the one you're
considering, talk to him or her about it. But don't decide
on a surgeon based on one friend's experience. Every
patient is unique, and so is every surgery; your results
might be quite different from your friend's.
- Doctors. Your family
doctor may be able to recommend a plastic surgeon. Ask
your doctor how many patients he or she has referred to
this surgeon and what feedback they offered later. Ask
whether the doctor would send a family member to this
plastic surgeon.
- Nurses. If you know
an operating room nurse - or if you know someone who knows
one - you can probably get a well-informed opinion on
surgeons he or she has worked with.
- Hospitals. Call a
respected hospital in your community and ask for the names
of board-certified plastic surgeons on staff. Be sure to
ask for the names of doctors who have privileges (official
approval) to do the particular procedure you're
considering.
- ASPS. The Plastic
Surgery Information Service of the ASPS is an excellent
source of names. Simply call the toll-free number, (888)
4-PLASTIC (475-2784), and leave your name, address and the
procedure you're interested in. We'll send you the names
of five plastic surgeons in your area who perform that
procedure. Their membership in the ASPS means they're
certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS)
and members of the largest plastic surgery specialty
organization in the United States. You can show this list
to a doctor you trust and ask if he or she has any
recommendations. You can also check the list against the
one you may have received from the hospital.
- Special directories.
You can find the names of board-certified plastic
surgeons, listed by state and city, in two reference books
available in most public libraries: The Directory of
Medical Specialists, published by Marquis Who's Who, and
The Compendium of Certified Medical Specialists, published
by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
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| A
useful and convenient source of information on
plastic surgery is our toll-free number, which
also provides referrals to ASPS members. |
- Paid advertising.
You can find plenty of physicians' names in the yellow
pages and other advertising sources. But keep in mind that
doctors can list themselves under any specialty heading
they like and can advertise any services they want to
sell, regardless of their training and credentials.
(Exceptions are group listings sponsored by the American
Board of Medical Specialties or its member boards.)
Similarly, doctors quoted in newspaper and magazine
stories may or may not be qualified "experts."
Your next step: checking
credentials
Once you've compiled a list of
several doctors, you can start checking their credentials.
While good credentials can't guarantee you a successful
outcome, they can significantly increase the odds. You can
obtain the following information from the directories
mentioned above, hospitals and professional societies, and the
surgeon's office.
- Training. More
important than where your surgeon went to school is the
type of training he or she received. Has the surgeon
completed an accredited residency program specifically in
plastic surgery? Such a program includes two or three
years of intensive training in the full spectrum of
reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. While your plastic
surgeon may choose to concentrate on a limited number of
procedures, this comprehensive background gives a solid
foundation to his or her skills.
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| When
you see this certificate displayed at your
doctor's office, you're assured that the doctor
meets or exceeds the rigorous standards set forth
by the ABPS. |
- Board certification.
Everyone has heard the phrase "board-certified,"
but very few people know what it means or what to look
for.
Patients are encouraged to
consider a doctor certified by the American Board of
Plastic Surgery (ABPS). By choosing a plastic surgeon who
is certified by the ABPS, a patient can be assured that
the doctor has graduated from an accredited medical school
and completed at least five years of additional residency
- usually three years of general surgery (or its
equivalent) and two years of plastic surgery. To be
certified by the ABPS, a doctor must also practice plastic
surgery for two years and pass comprehensive written and
oral exams.
- Hospital privileges.
Even if your surgery will be performed in the doctor's own
surgical facility, he or she should have privileges to
perform that procedure at an accredited hospital in your
community. It means the surgeon is subject to approval by
a body of his or her peers. Call the hospital to make
sure.
- Experience. Although
there's no magic number (of years or procedures) that
defines "experience," you should feel
comfortable that the surgeon you choose is well versed and
up-to-date in the procedure you're considering. You can
ask the surgeons on your list if they do the procedure
frequently or only occasionally and when they last
performed that procedure.
- Professional societies.
Physicians may belong to a wide array of professional
societies, but - as with board certification - some are
more meaningful than others. If a physician tells you he
or she belongs to a particular society, get the exact name
and call the society to find out what the requirements for
membership are.
Of the societies representing plastic
surgeons, one of the most demanding - and by far the largest -
is the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Its
members must be certified by the ABPS and reviewed by their
peers. They must also participate in continuing education and
adhere to a strict code of ethics.
Finally, the
consultation/interview
If you've narrowed your list down to
two or three surgeons, you might want to visit them all for an
initial consultation. That way you can compare their
personalities, their opinions on the type of surgery you
should have, their fees, and the way they answer your
questions and explain the risks involved. Keep in mind,
though, that you'll probably have to pay for these
consultations, whether or not you choose that surgeon.
Don't be afraid to ask questions, no
matter how trivial or how personal you think they'll sound. In
fact, it's a good idea to write down your questions before
hand so you won't forget any of them and to make a note of the
surgeon's answers as well.
Here are a few general things to look
for in the interview:
- The surgeon should answer all of
your questions thoroughly, in language you can understand.
- He/she should ask about your
motivations and expectations, discuss them with you, and
solicit your reaction to his/her recommendations.
- He/she should offer alternatives,
where appropriate, without pressuring you to consider
unnecessary procedures.
- He/she should welcome questions
about professional qualifications, experience, costs and
payment policies.
- He/she should make clear not only
the risks of surgery but the possible variations in
outcome. If the surgeon shows you photographs of other
patients, or uses computer imaging to show you possible
results, it should be clear that there is no guarantee
that your results will match these.
- He/she should make sure the final
decision is yours.
Now it's time to make your choice
If you've obtained your surgeon's
name from a good source, checked his or her credentials, are
satisfied with your initial consultation, and have realistic
expectations for the surgery, chances are very good that
you'll be happy with the outcome of your plastic surgery.
Sources and Credentials: A
Consumer Checklist
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