CHOOSING A SURGEON

There are many factors to consider when choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon, apart from checking out the physician's credentials. There has to be a certain chemistry, trust your instincts, you need to feel comfortable and safe. After you have done your research on procedures it is now time to locate a surgeon.

The first place to start is:
Canadian Society of Plastic Surgery - www.plasticsurgery.ca
Canadian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery - www.csaps.ca
You can check them out on the web and find a surgeon located close to you, or if you already have a surgeon by referral, this is the place to check their credentials. The next place to check is :

American Society of Plastic Surgeons - www.plasticsurgery.org
American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery-
Their site is www.surgery.org

These sites will tell you if a surgeon is recognized by them, their standing and they will also provide a list of surgeons in your province.

Find a physician who specializes in full time cosmetic surgery, as some do other types of surgery also. Cosmetic surgery is a sub specialty of plastic surgery and it is very important to know that. In Canada any doctor with a license to practice medicine can practice 'cosmetic surgery'.

There is no government regulation regarding the certification of physicians who practice 'cosmetic surgery'. That means that the surgeon who performed your breast augmentation may be trained in another specialty entirely. This is why you must ask lots of questions, and make sure that you prepare your questions prior to a consultation with the surgeon.

Always have two or three surgeons to visit, as you are looking for someone who instills confidence in you. When you get to their clinic, check out the surroundings , are the people courteous and friendly? - this is usually a good indication of what the doctor is like. A doctor who loves what he is doing, can usually help you feel confident about your decision.

Ask if there are any past malpractice suits against your surgeon and find out what they were for. You can also ask for referrals from patients who have given their permission to be contacted and who have had a similar procedure performed within the past few months. Ask to see photographs of similar procedures and remember that every body is different. Talk with them and ask them all about the procedure, if they are happy with it, how helpful were the staff, the surgeon, and the follow up. Did they really care about you?

Whatever procedure it is that you are interested discuss it in detail. The surgeon may suggest the best way to achieve the result, however be very careful of surgeons giving you a list of many different procedures that you should have.

It is also very important that surgeons keep up to date on new procedures, new techniques, and other vital information for surgical procedures. We are in a constant state of change and those changes are very rapid in cosmetic surgery.

The surgeon should also operate in a facility that this approved by a regulatory agency such as (in Canada) the The Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (CAAASF) www.caaasf.org

Finally, the subject of fees. Not all high fee schedules relate necessarily to the best results. Some say that, the more procedures done in a type of surgery, the more proficient the surgeon is in that procedure. Again this is not necessarily the case.

I would stress again, check out the credentials is /are the surgeon/s affiliated with Plastic Surgeon associations in the US as well as Canada? The most important person is YOU, does the surgeon instill confidence in you, and if he/she doesn't then look elsewhere. Click here to find out how to check a surgeon's credentials

Remember, follow up visits are YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

The highest fees are not related to the best results

In 4 years, there has been a 304% increase in the number of cosmetic procedures

Ask questions, any question is appropriate - don't be shy!

There were 8.5 million surgical procedures in 2001