Tummy Tuck: Q&A

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Is the Number of Procedures Done by Doctors a Good Indicator of Success?

What is a fair amount of times per year that a doctor has performed surgery? I have been speaking with I plastic surgeon about a tummy tuck, breast lift and breast implants. The time has come and I am extremely nervous. I was wondering if the amount of times the doctor has performed all 3 procedure is a prediction of better results.

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19 Doctor Answers | Asked by nataft in Pa

Doctor Answers (19)
Community Comments (1)

How many of these have you done? Assessing a surgeon's experience.

When patients come into my office, they often ask this question, "how many of these have you done, doctor?" They have no idea what the right answer is. I'm not sure what the right answer is myself! Perhaps if the surgeon breaks down stuttering when asked the question, that is a bad sign. So how can you tell if your prospective doctor is qualified to do a procedure? Or better yet, how can you tell if your doctor is a leader in the field? The readers of RealSelf are... more

How much experience does a surgeon need for cosmetic succes?

All surgeons are different in their talent, judgment, training, and artistic eye. You can teach surgery and procedures but you cannot teach talent and artistry. You either have it or you don't. So, please carefully look at multiple photos of a doctor's work and look for what you want in your own result. Also, make sure they are Board Certified in Plastic Surgery, not in Cosmetic Surgery as this is not a real board certification recognized by the Am. Board of Medical Specialties. They... more

Surgeon's volume

Surgical volume or caseload is only relatively important, I think. A busy surgeon can be too busy, or busy doing the wrong procedure or operating on the wrong patient, or busy because of low price. A sugeon doing fewer procedures may do each with more care and thought in a unpressures manner. Obviously some experience is important but how a surgeon aproaches his work and you as a patient is probably more imprtant the the number of times a procedure is performed. Great surgeons learn to... more

Robin T.W. Yuan, MD

4 reviews

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

I'll tell you how you can tell if your doctor is competent...

Here's how: he or she is recommending A LOT of surgery to do at once. Many surgeons do it; it is certainly within the standard of care to do them together. BUT, we all know that there is increasing evidence that there are risks when additional procedures are done simultaneous with a tummy tuck. Did he or she discuss that with you? Did he or she explain that to you? Did he or she demonstrate an understanding of these issues? You asked about success. Your first definiton of success is... more

Experience with Tummy Tuck, Breast Implants, Breast Lift

You pose a good question. What makes one surgeon better than another? Is time the factor? There are many different factors that determine a skilled surgeon. Time is one factor that is both good and bad. The more years a surgeon practices the more experience he gets. In addition the more times he performs a particular surgery then in theory the better he should be. However, I've seen some outcomes from some well seasoned surgeons that are in my office for a revision. So just doing a... more

The more experience with breast lift, augmentation and tummy tuck the better the result for sure

While doing anything many times wrong doesn't make a better result, the more often a surgeon preforms breast lifts, augmentation and tummy tucks either together or separately, the better their results will be. Experience is always a great teacher. The more often you do any thing the better your results will be. Do not let some one tell you other wise. To get good results with these procedures you need to be doing them frequently. Don't settle for a surgeon even if they are board certified... more

Experience and judgment in surgery.

This is a difficult question to answer. Generally, the more one performs a procedure, the more opportunity one has to perfect the precedure and learn. However, this is not always true, if one is not critical of their own results. A surgeon must review and constantly analyze in order to advance their skills. One old saying comes to mind: Good judgment comes from experience but experience comes from bad judgment. Certainly, this is not always the case but it does have a grain of truth. more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

33 reviews

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

Finding the Best Plastic Surgeon for You

Experience definitely is important when selecting a surgeon. Before and after photographs of the surgery you are considering can be important and can help in the decision-making process. At minimum, a dozen before and after photos of the surgery you are considering should be available. When choosing a plastic surgeon it is imperative to select a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Often, plastic surgeons who perform a great deal of aesthetic... more

Michael Law, MD

17 reviews

Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

michaellawmd.com

Tummy tuck

After a number of procedures under the belt, it becomes a matter of artistic endeavor, rather the number of procedures. Experience does count, however.

Better results of breast lift, breast implants, and tummy tuck with more experienced surgeon.

Hi. It's all about the individual surgeon. You want a meticulous surgeon with a good eye. And there are surgeons who do a lot of operations with mediocre results. But, in general, the more breast lift, breast implants, and tummy tuck that a surgeon has done, the better your chances.

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Comments (1)

sexysoulsister 27 Jul 2012

A ps who sees and does tons of procedures does not guarantee he is the best. I've consulted with exclusive highly peer recommended ps only to come away with not impressed at all. All ps should be good surgeons but an excellent plastic surgeon is a gifted artist. It's the difference between a seamstress and a tailor.

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