How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon for your Plastic Surgery or Cosmetic Surgery?

Guidance information to assist women in selecting the right plastic surgeon to perform a particular procedure.
Part IV

Anesthesia.

Your plastic surgeon knows that very often, the anesthesia used during the procedure has more associated risks than the risks associated with the plastic surgery or cosmetic procedure. Consequently, it is very important that the plastic surgeon clarify if anesthesia will be used, and if so what type of sedative agent will be used. The physician should explain what level of awareness will be maintained. Sedation can range from complete sleep to alertness with a gentle sedative affect. If the physician plans on using general anesthesia, then the procedure must be performed in a licensed facility, such as an outpatient surgical center or hospital. The physician should explain who would perform and monitor the sedation and their training, knowledge, skills, qualifications and licenses. The physician must also inform you of any other personnel involved in your plastic surgery procedure, along with their function, training and skills.

Informed Consent.

Physicians must obtain your informed consent before performing any procedure. Physicians must not only have consent for the procedure, but they must also get consent for every person who will participate in the procedure and where the procedure will be performed. To obtain informed consent, the physician must give you adequate information for you to make an informed choice. Ensuring that you receive enough information requires good communication between you and the doctor. While the physician knows the dangers and pluses of the plastic surgery or cosmetic procedure, knows the persons who will help perform the procedures, and knows the location where the procedure will be performed, the physician cannot know every issue that may be important to you. So you have to ask all questions needed to ensure your comfort with having a particular procedure performed by a particular physician using particular staff at a particular location. You must also state any limitations or conditions you want to place on your consent.

Only after you feel totally comfortable with the procedure, the plastic surgeon, the staff and the location, should you consent to go ahead and do the procedure. While cosmetic procedures and some plastic surgeries may seem routine and not dangerous, these procedures do come with some level of risks. The qualifications of the physician and the physicians personnel bear directly upon the risks of a particular procedure. So, it is vitally important for your health and safety that you select the right physician to perform the procedure, even if it means paying more money or taking a plastic surgery loan for the procedure at a less convenient location and at a later date.

Share it!