Five Factors to Consider Before Plastic Surgery

Deciding to undergo a plastic surgery procedure is a highly personal decision for each patient. After all, the patient is the one who will live with the result of the procedure. Because this decision is so personal, no two patients will have the same reasons for wanting to undergo plastic surgery. In some cases, patients may wish to offset the aging process and achieve a more youthful appearance. In other cases, patients may need a reconstructive procedure, such as breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. Still other patients may wish to de-emphasize certain features in order to have a more balanced appearance, which can be achieved with rhinoplasty and other procedures.

With all of these different reasons for wishing to undergo plastic surgery, it can be difficult to provide all patients with a list of factors to consider when deciding whether or not to undergo a procedure. However, the surgeons at Crawford Plastic Surgery have found that there are several common factors that play into his patients’ decisions about plastic surgery.

Consider Skills and Expertise of the Plastic Surgeon

Perhaps the most important factor to consider is the skill and expertise of the plastic surgeon. After all, patients are putting their bodies and health into the hands of the surgeon. Patients should start by researching the surgeon on the Internet. Healthgrades is a web site that allows patients to see how their surgeon was graded by other patients. The surgeon’s practice website may also include before and after photos of patients who had similar procedures. This allows patients to get an idea of what their results are likely to be. Finally, patients should look at the surgeon’s resume to learn more about his or her education and training.

Consider Goals from the Plastic Surgery

Patients should be very clear about their expectations and goals from the surgical procedure. If they want to remove excess fat, they may wish to consider a liposuction procedure. However, if the goal is to remove excess loose skin, they will want to instead opt for a body contouring procedure such as a tummy tuck. Patients should also be realistic about their goals. For example, women with narrow chests will not have enough breast tissue to cover overly large implants, so they may be better suited to smaller ones.

Consider the Risks

Any surgical procedure is risky, by its very nature. Patients may find that the potential risks from a plastic surgery procedure are not ones they are willing to take. For example, a patient with a bleeding disorder may not wish to opt for an extensive procedure due to the risk of excessive bleeding.

Consider Healing Time

The amount of time it takes to properly heal will depend on the type of surgery. For example, healing from a tummy tuck will take longer than from a dermal filler procedure. Some patients may not wish to undergo a procedure with a long healing time, as it may interfere with their daily activities, such as caring for young children.

Consider Financial Options

Although patients may not like to think of plastic surgery in terms of affordability, it can be an important factor, particularly for elective procedures that will not be covered by insurance. Although some patients may opt to pay up front for the entire cost of the surgery, there are now a variety of options to consider. These range from breaking up payments into smaller amounts by taking out loans, and using a financing service such as CareCredit (which specializes in financing options for plastic surgery).

No matter which procedure a patient selects, the surgeons at Crawford Plastic Surgery are able to help them sift through all of the possible alternatives to help them reach their goals from plastic surgery. Contact Crawford Plastic Surgery today.