Fake or real plastic surgery photos?

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7 answers to “Fake or real plastic surgery photos?”

A: Good Photos are very important

By Michael Law, MD - Raleigh-Durham Plastic Surgeon

By good photos I don't just mean "wow" before and afters but good quality, consistent placement and consistent lighting. When a staff member discovered our images posted on another site without our agreement we were mortified. Yes, this can happen. When viewing photos in the office... more

A: Photos should be honest and reflect long term results

By Brent Moelleken, MD - Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

Before-after pictures should be taken with the same camera and lighting and have the same background. The photographs should show how long after the procedure they were taken. They should be taken from the same standardized angles. Some before-after results are literally taken in the surgery... more

A: Good question - photos are very important but need to be viewed wisely

By Richard P. Rand, MD - Seattle Plastic Surgeon

This is an excellent question! The best situation in my opinion occurs when a prospective patient sits down with a plastic surgeon and runs through many photos (un-retouched or digitally altered!) of that surgeon's own patients. I personally spend an hour with each new patient and do not relegate this to... more

A: Website photos alone are not enough

By Shahram Salemy, MD - Seattle Plastic Surgeon

This is a great question, and unfortunately there is no easy answer. Just looking at website photos alone are not enough, and I think it is very helpful for a patient to sit down with the surgeon and go over the pictures directly, so the surgeon can describe to you specifically what he sees and how he aimed... more

A: Photos are over-rated

By Robin T.W. Yuan, MD - Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon

While the popular advice is to look at photos, I think pre- and post-op photos by themselves give very limited information especially if shown cold on a website or by surgical consultants who have not done the actual surgery. While patients look for similar patients for the results that they can get,... more

A: Ask to speak or meet with Real Patients

By Kamran Jafri, MD - New York City Facial Plastic Surgeon

Hello Liza, I agree that closely looking at the photos will help you determine which ones are real clinical patients and which are stock photos. Also ask your Doctor for referrals - you should always be able to speak with or meet prior patients who have worked with the Doctor to get their experiences and... more

A: It takes a careful eye to spot the fakes.

By David Shafer, MD - Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

This is a great question. Most plastic surgeons and other people practicing cosmetic surgery make websites and post photos. I have found that many websites do not even post their own photos. In fact, if you look carefully, you can see the same photos on multiple websites. That is because many people... more