Choosing The Right Doctor For A Facelift

Atlantic Coast Aesthetics’ founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Thomas A. Pane, firmly believes that patient education is the single most important criterion in determining the outcome of any cosmetic procedure. As important as the “how” of plastic surgery is “who” is performing it. ACA’s Question of the Week comes from a Facebook viewer in Jupiter Beach, FL. She writes, “I’m not sure about using a particular surgeon for an upcoming facelift. How do I choose the right doctor for me?” Dr. Pane found this question interesting because it gave him an opportunity to discuss something patients often overlook: how to select the best surgeon for the job!

Dr. Pane started by saying that word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family members who have had the same procedure can be a useful benchmark. This is because these people offer visible, tangible evidence of the doctor’s skill and ability, and can relate their own experiences with a given surgeon. Word of mouth input helps take some of the pressure off the patient, because some people feel obligated to a surgeon who has taken the time to give them a consultation, whether or not they feel confident that they are truly going to receive the optimum level of care.

According to Dr. Pane, consulting with a cosmetic surgeon should be treated like interviewing a candidate for a job, because that’s exactly what it is! The patient should feel comfortable expressing opinions and concerns to the surgeon, and that the surgeon is truly listening and taking the time to fully explain the whys and wherefores of the procedure in a way that addresses and allays the patient’s fears. If the patient doesn’t feel a good rapport with the surgeon, that surgeon’s education and skills are not going to mean much in the long term.

An initial consultation can be done in person or even over the phone. The consultation is important because it gives the surgeon an idea of what the patient’s expectations are, and allows the patient to “feel out” the surgeon’s level of empathy, understanding and knowledge. With facelifts, there are a number of ways the procedure can be done, so a cosmetic surgeon who gives a “one size fits all” solution and insists this is the only way probably isn’t going to be a good fit for many patients.

For many years, facelifts were treated as a far more complicated procedure than they needed to be. This led to increased problems for the patient and didn’t address the issues the patient wanted corrected in the first place. Today, Dr. Pane and many other respected cosmetic surgeons use techniques that, while they are not shortcuts, tend to have a much lower chance of post-operative problems than the old-school facelift procedures offered, while delivering better results and a more satisfying outcome for the patient.

Dr. Pane says one of the key benchmarks a patient should consider is not just the level of education and certification a specific surgeon has, but their clinical lineage. In other words, what were the skills and qualifications of the people who trained the surgeon? If a surgeon was trained by people who are regarded as the best in the field, chances are the surgeon’s outcomes will reflect a superior level of skill and capability. The reason for this is because respected cosmetic surgeons who know their field have a greater level of experience, which means they have learned what works, how it works and why, to the patient’s benefit.

The surgeon should also be able to show a pictorial resume of before and after pictures and explain what was done, how it was done and most importantly why it was done. A reputable cosmetic surgeon will offer the patient options based on their unique needs, desires and concerns, be able to articulate why they believe this is the best option and do their best to reassure the patient that they are in good, capable hands that place the patient’s well-being and satisfaction with the results ahead of all other considerations.

If you would like to ask Dr. Pane and ACA a question about cosmetic surgery, we encourage you to follow our Facebook page, call us at (541) 422-4116 or email us at https://acplasticsurg.com. Your question could be ACA’s next Question of the Week, helping us help others who share your questions and concerns. The only bad question is the one you don’t ask. If you can’t ask your cosmetic surgeon about your own body, then who can you ask?