FINDING A PLASTIC SURGEON

There is no perfect way to find a good plastic surgeon but two main factors are the qualifications of the doctor and the doctor's personality.

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This is probably the most common question we are asked at E-sthetics. There is no perfect way to find a good doctor and you need to take into account many factors.The two main factors are the qualifications of the doctor and the doctor's personality.

There are many ways you can find out about a doctor's training. The simplest is to ask. Most doctors are happy to provide you with information about their background and training. If they are not, then you a justified in being suspicious.

There are many professional organizations worldwide that publish lists of their members and this is often a good starting place. In the United States the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has a doctor finder web page which may help you. They also provide a toll free number 1 800 635 0635 . You might also ask if the doctor is board certified in the field of plastic surgery. Although this does not guarantee a good result it does
tell you about their training.

Outside the United States you should check with your local plastic surgery association or medical society.

You might try talking to your family doctor and local medical association. They often have a personal knowledge of a doctor's reputation. Nurses and people who work in hospitals also have first hand experience of a doctor.

Check around in your community and talk to people who have had surgery. If a doctor is getting consistent results, you may be able to discover this by word of mouth.

Local hospitals often have training requirements to allow doctors to work on their staff. This is also a good place to start your search.

The second factor, the doctor's personality, is also important. You can look at it this way. If all goes well, which it does in most cases, you will see the doctor only a handful of times. However, if you have a problem, you and the doctor are going to have to work through some difficult times together. You may need to get on well with the surgeon, and the surgeon with you, under some trying conditions. Talk to several surgeons and you will soon get a sense of the ones that you like and can get on with. When the doctor you like is also well trained you have a good combination.

Remember that no matter how well trained or nice the doctor, problems can arise. About one in every hundred patients will have a major problem after any type of surgery and plastic surgery is no exception. Not every patient is happy with the result of surgery.

Board Certification • American Society of Plastic Surgeons