Our Chief Medical Officer and founder, Dr. Thomas A. Pane, does a lot of consultations about cosmetic surgery. Often, patients are nervous about the consultation or unsure what to expect. This is the case with our ACA Question of the Week this week, which comes to us from a Facebook follower in West Palm Beach. The question is, “I am almost 40 years old with two kids. I’ve never been to a plastic surgeon before, but I’m considering a Mommy Makeover. I’m a little nervous about coming in for a consultation. What should I expect?”
Dr. Pane says that right now, we’re in the middle of a sexual and information revolution. There is more information available to people about cosmetic surgery than ever before, which is great because it means first that the stigma associated with cosmetic surgery is being reduced and second that patients have a better idea of what their options are before they ever set foot in a clinic. Patient information is a key point in ACA’s approach to cosmetic surgery, so this is a very beneficial development on both sides.
The downside, Dr. Pane notes, is that because of this surfeit of information, patients often find themselves “married” to the idea of a particular procedure or set of procedures before they have a consultation. This can be problematic because some procedures may not be the best solution for a given patient’s needs, especially where better, less invasive or more practical options may exist. It is much better for the patient to get an idea of what procedures may be the most beneficial, but more importantly to work out where the problem areas are perceived to be and why so that the surgeon can best evaluate the case and how to proceed with it.
Choosing a cosmetic surgeon requires just as much research as the procedures themselves, Dr. Pane notes. Oftentimes recommendations from friends, family members or the Internet make good starting points, but Dr. Pane suggests patients do their own due diligence and check into the surgeon’s educational background, hospital privileges, certifications and credentials. This step is important because it allows the patient more confidence in the surgeon, which is a critical consideration for anyone undertaking any surgery for any reason.
At the consultation, Dr. Pane stresses that it’s important not to be too heavily committed to any one procedure or set of procedures, as with a Mommy Makeover. Instead, identifying the problem areas and being able to articulate how and why these are issues can give the surgeon a more comprehensive picture of the aesthetic considerations involved and how to work out a treatment plan that the patient and surgeon both feel comfortable pursuing. Again, the mass of information on the Internet about cosmetic surgery is a double-edged sword. While it can give an idea of what the options are, it cannot replace the expertise of a trained, skilled cosmetic surgeon in determining which options will have the best outcome for a given patient’s body type, aesthetic preferences and overall health.
The best way to approach a consultation is to consider the surgeon as being there to help you make sense of what you already know and fill in the gaps to narrow down your options to the ones that will best serve your goals. During the consultation, the patient’s medical history and background will also be examined, as first and foremost this is a medical evaluation to ensure the patient is healthy enough to undergo cosmetic surgery. The more detailed information the patient can provide, the higher the chances of a smooth recovery with minimal chance of complications. This means any current prescription and over-the-counter medications, treatments or diagnoses of illnesses, as well as any medical issues that have occurred in the past. This will give the surgeon the most complete picture of the patient’s health and make a better determination as to whether certain procedures are options possible.
If you have a question pertaining to cosmetic surgery, Dr. Pane and the staff of ACA welcome the chance to address it. You can follow us on Facebook, call us at (561) 422-4116 or email us at https://acplasticsurg.com. Your question could be answered by Dr. Pane live in an upcoming Google Hangout as ACA’s next Question of the Week, helping us to help others and get you the information you want to make a healthy, informed decision as to your cosmetic surgery needs. At ACA, we believe there’s only one bad question, and that’s the one you don’t ask!