Thinking of undergoing plastic surgery anytime soon? You have to make some pretty big decisions, including the procedure and potential results. However, what if we told you that while those two are great considerations, there is something more important to consider?

Your choice of a plastic surgeon is a vital decision you will make on this journey. There are many plastic surgeons, and each has a procedure they specialize in. In other words, simply getting a referral to the best plastic surgeon in town may not be enough.

While internet searches and referrals give you a place to start, they are not enough to base your decision on. There is much at stake here; therefore, you must carefully evaluate the surgeon to ensure they can give you what you want. Below are three things you want to carefully and critically consider in your desired plastic surgeon.

Expertise

Every plastic surgeon must have been certified through years of education and hands-on training. The American Board of Plastic Surgery and the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada are responsible for certifying plastic surgeons. Years of education and training are required because plastic surgery is very complex.

If the plastic surgeon is certified by either of these bodies, they have the medical skills needed for the procedure. However, that is not all; the surgeon has to be up-to-date on new technology and techniques in the field. Do not hesitate to ask your surgeon about their professional involvement in writing, speaking, or teaching; that is one way to tell.

Experience

In addition to education, training, and certification, you want a plastic surgeon who is experienced in the type of surgery you need. Plastic surgeons have their specialties–certain procedures that they specialize in. You want to choose a plastic surgeon with your desired procedure in his or her “top three” most.

The surgeon must have performed your desired procedure at least once a week for a minimum of five years. The complexity of the art of plastic surgery is such that it requires the surgeon to be in practice. When the surgeon has performed many procedures for a long time, you know they can help you achieve your goal.

Results

As you start on this journey, you want to remember that not every plastic surgery story ends well. You may have seen your favorite celebrities who had plastic surgeries, which turned out great. That is great, but they did their homework on the surgeon before surrendering under his needle; hence, the great results.

If the first two factors we mentioned are a go, you are just one step away from choosing the right plastic surgeon. That one step is checking the doctor’s track record; most keep a file of “before” and “after” pictures of previous patients. Take your time to examine these pictures, ensuring at least two examples of “after” photos taken at least a year post-surgery.

Conclusion

If the doctor you have has these three things, you have sorted the critical aspect of searching. Other things to check include the doctor’s personality; you want someone who cares about your well-being.

“Your doctor’s actions or inactions towards you can impact your recovery period and the outcome,” says Dr. Sacha Obaid of  North Texas Plastic Surgery. “They should be someone who interacts with their patients, caring, compassionate, and empathetic.” 

With these tips, you can find a qualified surgeon to help you achieve your goal.