Question

Finding the best plastic surgeon

yellow pages seems like a bad idea for finding plastic surgoen but i am new to my town and have no network of friends to ask. what can i do to find the best plastic surgeon?


Asked by: Tia F., California

Answers (4)

Sort by: Most recent | Most helpful
1
July 14, 2008

Choosing a plastic surgeon

Pramit Malhotra, MD
Pramit Malhotra, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon

Cosmetic procedures are now performed by a variety of people. Patients are often shocked to find that their cosmetic surgeon who operated on their breasts was actually primarily trained as an oral surgeon, dermatologist, or even emergency room physician.

Because cosmetic surgery is unregulated there really aren't state or federal laws in place to protect patients to the degree one would expect. This may change in the future.

Make sure they have been trained appropriately by visiting websites like the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, etc.

2
July 12, 2008

The Best Plastic Surgeon

Kris M. Reddy, MD
Kris M. Reddy, MD
Board Certified
Plastic Surgeon

Prior to arranging an initial consultation, you can check a surgeon's website or make a quick phone call.

If you are searching for substance over style - it is possible to have a flashy, professional looking website where there is no substance in the practice. Conversely, you can have a messy website with substance.

Also, the person initially answering a practice's website will have varying degrees of experience. Make sure you are speaking with the office manager or patient coordinator, or you may get a false impression.

Some of the elements you are looking for:

  • Credentials - Is the surgeon a board certified plastic surgeon? There are a number of other specialties performing cosmetic medicine (with varying degrees of success) so you want to ensure that the physician is credentialled in the field that you want.
  • Is the surgeon a Member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, a Fellow of American College of Surgeons, or a Fellow of International College of Surgeons? If so, this may indicate how the surgeon is perceived in the field.
  • Where does the surgeon perform the procedure? It should be certified by a national organization such as AAAASF. What level of anesthesia can be performed a tthe facility?
  • Who performs the anesthesia? Anesthesia is best performed by MD Anesthesiologists.
  • Is the surgeon proficient in the surgery? A more established practice may have more surgeries that they perform regularly than a surgeon just starting out.
  • I wouldn't ask for fees over the phone. Different practices structure fees differently so you will not get a good comparison.
  • Does the surgeon offer a free consultation? After a few minutes with a surgeon, you will know if his personality and philosophy fit your needs. Meet with 3 board certifified plastic surgeons to get a good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each.
3
July 8, 2008

Finding the best plastic surgeon

William A. Portuese, MD
William A. Portuese, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon

Finding the best plastic surgeon for a specific procedure can be a difficult task. If a patient is looking to have a face-lift, seek out a board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Look at the physician’s credentials, resume, and previous results; also ask to see before-and-after pictures of multiple patients who have facial structures similar to your own. It is important that the surgeon performing your face-lift have a great deal of experience with this operation.

It is also important to have an excellent rapport with your physician, and both of you should have a good understanding of one another. Equally important is to have a board-certified physician anesthesiologist as well as a certified ambulatory surgery center.

4
April 5, 2008

A Five-Minute Call Can Save You Two Hours and $200

Robert Kotler, MD
Robert Kotler, MD
Board Certified
Facial Plastic Surgeon

Once you have a list of prospective cosmetic surgeons, make a few two-minute calls. You could save hours and hundreds of dollars. The following checklist will be your outline for a productive, efficient
phone inquiry.

 

Checklist for Telephone Screening Call:

Name of doctor: ________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________
Phone: ________________________________________________

Questions to ask:

Is the doctor board certified? If the answer is “yes,” which specialty
board? The American Board of ___________________________.

Did the doctor serve a cosmetic surgery fellowship?

Does the practice conduct cosmetic surgery only?

Time out. If, so far, you don’t have at least two “yes” answers, say: “Thank you, good-bye” and go on to the next doctor on the list. That practice was not for you.

What five procedures does the doctor perform most frequently? If what you’re considering doesn’t make the list, say “Good-bye.”

Where does the doctor perform his surgeries? Office? Outpatient surgery center? Hospital? (circle response).

Is office or outpatient surgery center facility licensed by the state, certified by Medicare and/or accredited by JCAHO, AAAASF or AAAHC?* (circle one ormore).

If none of the above, you are courting danger.

Tell the manager your sink is overflowing and hang up.

Write a comment

(required, shown publicly)
(required, kept private)
  • Allowed HTML tags: <p> <br> <em> <strong> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <div>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • You may link to webpages through the weblinks registry

More information about formatting options

CAPTCHA
Enter the numbers in the image below (no spaces)
Image CAPTCHA

Comments for unregistered users are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines

Check out more Q+A about Cosmetic plastic surgery

Have a question? Ask it

IMPORTANT: As noted in our Terms of Service, the information found on RealSelf.com, including that provided by professionals in the Questions & Answers area, is a general educational aid. The Questions and Answers contain opinions and views created by community members. RealSelf.com is not responsible for the accuracy of any information posted by community members. Do not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical or healthcare advice, or for diagnosis or treatment purposes.
  •     Cancel