How do I find a good SmartLipo doctor?
I am about to pay for the procedure of smart lipo on my thighs. I am supposed to meet with the doctor again, i went for blood work. How do i know if this doctor is reputable? He spoke well about the proceedure and was very ressuring. He seemed very knowledgeable as well. Is there any research I can do on him to be absolutely sure though? Thank you so much!
Answers (2)
Check and re-check!
In my area there is a general surgeon who tells his patients that he trained in plastic surgery and is board certified. He is board certified. He is certified in general surgery. Is he lying? No. He just didn't answer the question completely. He never did a plastic surgery residency. He never did a plastic surgery fellowship. He did take some weekend courses in Plastic Surgery. New Jersey law does not say you have to be a plastic surgeon to do liposuction. He takes patients seen in the NJ office to his "facility in Pennsylvania." Why? Is it really to save dollars on the NJ Cosmetic Tax? Is it really just because his "facility" is there? New Jersey laws state that in order to do liposuction in the office you have to have local hospital privileges. He does not have these. Many of these patients leave his office thinking he is a plastic surgeon. I have been told, "he told me he was certified." The american board of cosmetic surgery is not the same as the american board of plastic surgery. There is only one plastic surgery board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Does this mean he is not qualified to do Smartlipo? I cannot answer that. Perhaps he does a great job. Perhaps none of his patients ever could have a complication. He does not live locally, he lives in Pennsylvania. I have been called to the local ER to take care of patients who are having complications for doctors who simply do not have privileges at the hospital for procedures they are doing. So, how do should you pick a surgeon? Be careful. Do your homework. Find out what they are certified in. Think about it: where do OBGYN's learn to do liposuction? Where do general surgeons learn to do liposuction? Where did the local ER doc doing liposuction learn how to do it? I guess she learned how to do it somewhere.....
If you are looking for a good SmartLipo provider, do the following:
- Look at the Cynosure website
- Ask other providers in your area to see who is performing the procedure
- Make sure they are dedicated to performing this procedure and do it often (at least 20+ procedures per month)
- Look at their Before & After photos (make sure they don't just show you stock photos)
- Ask for patients that they can talk to about their experiences
- See if they use the laser for all areas of just as a novelty (some doctors have it more for marketing than for using it)
- Find out what they do following the laser. You want someone that can do immediate sculpting using 2.4mm - 3mm cannulas (preferably with power-assisted liposuction so it is more gentle than traditional cannulas)
If you are looking for ANY other laser procedure, you can follow the same recommendations:
- Always make sure they have their OWN photos
- Make sure you can speak to actual patients that the physician has treated
- Find out what the alternative treatments are, why the doctor recommends this treatment, and what it can be combined with.
- See if the doctor knows the science behind the treatments and how it compares to competitive devices. You want someone that has thought all of this through and has tested other devices. Of course, you should always be able to see the physician as part of an initial consultation before you commit to anything.
- Print this out and carry it with you so you don't forget anything:-)





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