Advancements VS gimmicks (with all procedures)

Great concept but you need yo be very specific and never listen to google doctors as most patients think they are. But also when only few surgeons recommend a concept that is a red flag . Ask very surcifuc questions please

There are in reality, very few, recent breakthroughs and cosmetic surgery that make a substantial difference. When they happen, they usually develop over about a decade. This is especially true for Liposuction. The only significant breakthrough in Liposuction was the pioneering work of Dr. Jeffrey Clement with his research on tumescent solution.
This improved Liposuction’s safety, reduced blood loss and dramatically, decreased bruising after surgery. It also allowed liposuction to be done without general anesthesia.
In reality, there are only two variables that matter when it comes to cosmetic surgery. This is true for almost all procedures and all patients.
The first is patient candidacy.
Lots of people want to have liposuction and assume that if they pick the right doctor they’ll have good results. Sometimes people buy into that marketing hype believing if they pick the provider with the right equipment they’ll get all of the added benefits, like skin tightening, etc. etc..
In reality, most patients who consult for liposuction are not great candidates for the procedure. In my practice I would say one out of five consultations is a good candidate for Liposuction. Three out of five patients will be average candidates and should expect some improvements but not the best outcomes and 20% of consultations are told they are not candidates for Liposuction at all.
Information available to the public is highly filtered, biased and skewed
They are very few neutral sources of quality information regarding cosmetic surgery available to the public.
Almost every source of information available is trying to sell you or someone else something.
That includes this website. Doctors who do not pay for advertising on this website have their contact information removed.
Information provided by companies producing equipment will be biased towards that equipment and providers. Posting information are generally self promoting.
Generally, speaking, experienced surges with talent are the ideal.
Best way to find the right provider if I have a multiple in person consultations.
Most people do not have a lot of experience consulting with plastic surgeons. For that reason, most patients take a very passive approach during consultations. Some people come in with a list of questions which they found on some website, including questions like are you bored certified, do you have privileges at a hospital etc. etc.
While well intended, these questions are not really in the end all that helpful.
The key to finding the right provider is generally going to be in the review of before, and after pictures and how the provider presents themselves.
I recommend patients start the process by getting quality pictures of their face or body, depending on what procedure they’re interested in. Take pictures the same way plastic surgeons take before and after pictures. Use these pictures whenever reviewing before and after pictures to make sure you are comparing patient who had similar body characteristics to your own.
Recognize that patients who are good candidate for a certain surgical procedure have the potential of having a great outcome, but also have the potential of having enough, that does not turn out well. Individuals who are not good candidates cannot have a good outcomes, regardless of how talented the provider is.
Understanding your own candidacy for the procedure is the first and most important step in the process.
The second step is bedding, plastic surgeons, and finding the best one.
In my opinion, there’s no way to do this except by scheduling multiple in person consultations.
During each consultation, the goal is to get providers to open up their portfolios and show you as efficient number of pictures to get a clear understanding of what average results look like on previous patient with your candidacy for the procedure.
Bring printed copies of pictures of your old body to use for reference. But looking at before and after pictures, make sure the people in the before pictures look like you do.
Ask providers to show you a variety of outcomes. Maintain that they only show you pictures of previous patient who have your candidacy.
An experienced provider should have hundreds or even thousands of before, and after pictures to choose from in demonstrating what a procedure can, or cannot accomplish. This should include a variety of different body types.
When reviewing before, and after pictures, patients should ask to see as many before and after pictures as possible. I suggest you specifically count and score the before and after pictures and keep track of the quantity and quality of photos shown.
In my opinion, and experienced plastic surgeon should have no difficulty showing you at least 50 sets of before, and after pictures of commonly performed procedures.
Being shown preselected images, representing the best results of a providers career is insufficient to get a clear understanding of what average results look like or how many of these procedures a surgeon has actually performed. For certain procedures, like fat transfer, it is imperative to have a clear understanding of the timeframe of when after pictures were taken. Early fat transfer results can look very impressive. I do not at all represent final results. Do not assume anything when consulting with plastic surgeons. Confirm if you have any questions or doubts about skills and experience.
Do not assume that the plastic surgeon who is board-certified as years of experience with an overall good reputation as master any one single procedure.
Board certification has nothing to do with skill.
Likewise, being famous, or being popular, also has nothing to do with surgical skills.
Having been on television or publishing articles, has nothing to do with being a good surgeon.
The best plastic surgeons, I know, and the ones I respect the most generally have no advertising and do not engage in social media. They have busy practices and spend the rest of their time, enjoying time with their families, hobbies, and interests.
Individuals who look for the latest technologies will easily bypass the most talented provider because they’re looking for the wrong thing.
In the end, patience should focus on the two variables, that matter which is patient candidacy, and the skill of the provider.
I suggest patient start by having at least five in person, consultations when considering any permanent and irreversible body contouring procedure. Five consultations may not be sufficient in some cases.
For procedures like liposuction, which has the greatest variation in outcome based on provider selection, patients should be far more selective than they ever thought necessary.
If you have any doubts, then simply slow down and schedule more consultations. If you find yourself consulting with a sales person rather than the surgeon who is going to be doing your procedure and you’re in the wrong place.
If you’re told you don’t need to come in and meet the surgeon in person, but can simply send pictures and schedule surgery then again you’re probably not finding the right provider.
If providers, keep showing you the same handful of pictures over and over and can’t come up with what seems like an endless supply of before and after pictures then again, you’re probably not with the right provider.
If your provider seems rushed and not interested in explaining the entire process, starting with finding out who you are, and what you’re trying to achieve and ending with clear explanations of the entire surgical process, then you’re probably not with the right provider.
In my opinion, patients should spend far more time researching providers, and having far more consultations than they actually do. I find it almost mesmerizing that somebody would schedule a permanent, irreversible body contouring procedure that has the ability to leave people disfigured without bothering to meet the surgeon.
Patients will be reminded every day for the rest of their life, regarding the outcome. Many of the patients regretful of having had surgical intervention could’ve easily been avoided by simply slowing down the process and being more thorough during the process of choosing the right provider.
In reality, most patients only have one consultation. I having only one consultation patients don’t even have a choice.
When, in doubt, slow down and schedule more consultations. Focus on the basics, which includes understanding your candidacy, and choosing the most talented and experienced provider.
Surgeons have the equipment they need to do their job. Quality outcomes come from skill and experience working on patients who are good candidates.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom, MD