Whether you want tattoo removal to erase a poor life choice you made in your youth, or you need a reconstructive procedure after an accident, choosing the right cosmetic surgeon near you can make the difference between a great outcome that lets you look and feel your best and an aesthetic nightmare.

But finding the perfect cosmetic surgeons close to West Palm Beach can be frustrating because Palm Beach County has so many of them, and just because you saw a plastic surgeon on MSN doesn’t guarantee their skill or legitimacy.

Here is Atlantic Coast Aesthetics’ brief patient guide to finding the right cosmetic surgery provider for your needs, from general skin health to cancer reconstruction!

Plastic Surgeon Near Me

South Florida is an epicenter for cosmetic surgery, with a plastic surgery center or medical spa seemingly on every street corner.

But did you know that just because a doctor performs plastic surgery, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a board certified plastic surgeon?

It’s true! Just about anyone with a medical degree and license to practice can bill themselves as a cosmetic surgeon. The trouble is, while they may be outstanding at administering dermal fillers and injectables like Restylane Lyft, Juvaderm, Radiance, Botox cosmetic treatments, and microneedling with PRP, they may not be able to provide proper patient safety when they’re doing cancer reconstruction and other reconstructive surgeries, skin tightening, scar revision, breast implant removal and so on.

This doesn’t mean that any cosmetic surgeon is automatically bad, incompetent, or incapable of delivering great results!

What it does mean is that they may not have the range of abilities, skills, and procedures that a surgeon who has achieved board certification from the American Board of Plastic Surgery can offer. If you’re having simple chemical peels, skin tag or mole removal done, this may not be as much of an issue. 

When you’re having major surgery such as body contouring, breast revision, or a face lift, it becomes much more imperative that you make sure your chosen plastic surgeon has the right experience and skills.

For your own health and safety, Atlantic Coast Aesthetics recommends that you take the following precautions and go down this question checklist when researching plastic surgeons near me!

How long has the cosmetic surgeon near you been in practice?

If a plastic surgeon has been doing extensive procedures for at least around five years, they are probably experienced enough to be safe. However, this may not tell the whole story. Be sure to check if they’re board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. If they aren’t, you should bear this in mind if you choose to proceed further.

What treatments and plastic surgery procedures do they offer?

One of the best indicators of a skilled and experienced cosmetic surgeon is the range of their available services. An inexperienced plastic surgeon may only offer limited treatments in specific areas of the body.

A more seasoned veteran cosmetic surgeon might offer any, many, or all of the following:

• Body sculpting
• Brow lift
• Buttock lift (Brazilian butt lift or BBL)
• Chin implant placement and removal
• Chin surgery
• Cleft palate surgery
• Deviated septum correction
• Diamond Glow treatments
• Ear surgery
• Facial implants
• Facial plastic surgery
• Fat injection, harvesting and transfer
• Forehead lift
• Gynecomastia surgery
• Hair loss treatments
• Hair restoration
• Neck lift
• Plasma pen cautery
• Revision procedures
• Complex procedures that may have been refused by other surgeons
• And more!

Again, a list of plastic surgery treatments and procedures like this isn’t always the most reliable indicator of experience.

However, longevity and a varied menu of available services is a great starting point for your online search.

What do their patients say about them?

 A good indicator of the skill and capability of a given plastic surgeon is the loyalty they inspire in their patients and staff.

Many if not most legitimate cosmetic surgeons will offer real patient video testimonials and an online photo and video gallery to share the results their patients have received.

Whether you’re in Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Wellington, or beyond, social proof is some of the best evidence out there as to whether the cosmetic surgeon you’re considering is right for you.

Does the cosmetic surgeon you’re considering offer virtual consultation?

While COVID-19 is projected to soon become endemic, ending the pandemic stage, many providers may offer virtual consultations for the added comfort and safety of their staff and patients.

During a virtual or other consultation with a cosmetic surgeon or any other healthcare provider, it is important to listen to your instincts.

Do you get the sense the North Palm Beach plastic surgeon you’re consulting with is interested in helping you find the best solution for your situation, or the most lucrative one for their practice? Do they ask about your medical history in detail, including medications, past surgeries, current medical conditions, and so on? Do you feel like they’re attentive and responsive to your needs, or like they’re already thinking ahead to “the next thing?” Above all, do you feel safe and comfortable with the care you can expect to receive from this particular provider? Your gut, and your ability to trust your instincts and advocate for yourself, can be one of the most important indicators of whether a given surgeon is right for your needs or not.

If you have an office consultation, does the surgeon have a nurse of your gender available and present?

Above all, you should feel comfortable, safe, and secure with your cosmetic surgeon.

Talking about plastic surgery can be an uncomfortable topic by default, and a physical examination of the areas in question even more so, because you’re literally having to expose your worst perceived physical flaws to a stranger.

When your surgeon is of another gender than yourself, this discomfort can increase exponentially, even for the most body-positive people. Having a nurse or PA of your gender available, and present upon your request during the consultation, can help reduce the associated stress and fear factor so you can get the best care and the real information you need to choose the procedure that best meets your needs.

Is there an easier way to find a cosmetic surgeon near me that offers everything I need and expect from a plastic surgery practice?

Yes, there is!

We at Atlantic Coast Aesthetics would like you to meet Dr. Thomas A. Pane, our founder and Chief Medical Officer. 

A double board certified plastic surgeon with over 15 years of experience in serving the needs of cosmetic surgery patients, Dr. Pane is certified in both plastic and general surgery, ensuring the best possible care even in the very unlikely event that something goes wrong during a procedure.

We’d also like you to meet our staff, who are dedicated to and passionate about making sure our patients receive the best and latest information, options, and results for their cosmetic surgery needs. From assistance with filling out patient forms to answering questions about different treatment options to providing opportunities to meet our providers and consult with them to get the right care for their situation, every member of the Atlantic Coast Aesthetics staff is here to help you get the best outcome for your aesthetic surgery journey.

To find out more about how Atlantic Coast Aesthetics and Dr. Thomas Pane can help you achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of, we invite you to click here to contact us through our website; follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn; or call us at (561) 422-4116. 

Your question might even become the focus of a forthcoming Ask Dr. Pane segment, helping us inform and educate other patients who share your interests and concerns. Remember, at ACA, we believe the only bad question is the one you DON’T ask!