Here’s some valuable advice when seeking plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures such as Rhinoplasty, Face Lift, Blepharoplasty, Breast Augmentation, Tummy Tuck, Liposuction, Brow Lifts, Cheek Implants, Chin Implants, Lip Augmentation, Botox Injections, Restylane Injections, Radiesse Injections, IPL treatments or skin care.
1. You, as the consumer have the burden of finding a properly trained plastic and cosmetic surgeon to perform your procedure or treatment. You can’t rely upon TV, friends, radio or newspaper ads to do your work for you…as they don’t always have your best interest at heart. Your family and friends do and this may be a good place to start but they don’t have enough knowledge about plastic and comsetic surgery to be sure the plastic surgeon that worked out well for them can do the same for you. So you need to do your own investigating.
How do you get started? The internet is a great way for you to view the credentials and the expertise of various surgeons in your area and far away. Be careful to separate obvious commercial sites where the content is written by sales people versus sites where the plastic surgeon writes the content. The later is like speaking with the surgeon him or herself and far more valuable an insight into that surgeon.
You can read my 4-step article on “How to Choose Your Plastic Surgeon” here:
http://www.drfpalmer.com/choose.html
Do some basic research on the aesthetics of plastic surgery so that you become informed on what should make you look better…or worse. This will become important when you have consultations or plastic surgeons suggest things that don”t sound logical…don’t sound like they would make you more attractive. Too large cheek implants, or scooping out the nose…those sorts of things.
You can take our beauty quiz to test your aesthetic knowledge here:
http://www.drfpalmer.com/quiz.html
Read over the frequent Q/A section here: http://www.drfpalmer.com/faq.html
Once you have completed this step, you are an informed consumer and ready to consult with experienced plastic and cosmetic surgeongs about how to make yourself more attractive.
2. Pay for consultations as free consultations are often given in an attempt to pressure you into buying surgery or services which you may or may not need or want. Everyone deserves to get paid for their time and expertise…you don’t work for free, neither do top, qualified plastic and cosmetic surgeons. Your consult is for the surgeons time to evaluate you….and your specific needs.
3. No matter what magazine articles have told you to do during your plastic surgery consultation…here is the real inside scoop of what to do and not do.
Do be yourself as an experienced plastic surgery staff will be able to tell if something is amiss and will somehow decline to take you as a patient.
Do remember that the surgeon-patient relationship is a two way street with the surgeon and his staff deciding if they want you as a patient while you are deciding if you want to hire the surgeon to perform your plastic surgery or procedure. Either one may decide to pass for any reason.
Don’t be overly aggressive, assertive or interview the plastic surgeon or the staff with the attitude that they must convince you why you should allow them to perform your surgery. Such behavior, while appropriate in selecting a new stereo, is not appropriate for a surgical candidate and the plastic surgeon will most likely deem you not mentally ready to have the surgery or procedure. That is most experienced plastic surgeons. Remember the more experienced, busy plastic surgeons don’t want or need to talk you or any patient into having plastic surgery. First of all that’s not the plastic surgeon’s job and second it’s not professional. Plastic surgeons advise, we don’t pressure or persuade.
Lastly and this is the most important take home message….if your gut tells you what to do, listen. Never let money be the deciding factor to do or not do a plastic surgery or procedure. People who paid less for second best…are never happy! Hollywood celebrities have know this for years…and now so do you!
Dr. Francis R Palmer, III
