Loving yourself inside and out is following your safety
If you are considering cosmetic surgery, you must be honest with yourself. Why do you want surgery and, what do you expect surgery to do for you? There are two categories of patients who are good candidates for surgery. The first includes patients with a strong self-image, who are bothered by a physical characteristic that they’d like to improve or change. The second category includes patients who have a physical defect that has diminished their self-esteem over time.
If you’re thinking about getting cosmetic surgery, it’s your job to become an informed consumer. Selecting a qualified doctor, with a lot of training and experience in the procedure you’d like to get, is essential.
Ask the right questions to get the best treatment:
- What state is the doctor licensed to practice surgery?
- Is the doctor board certified? With which board? The doctor should be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
- How many years has the doctor performed this type of surgery?
- What are the risks of the procedure?
- Who administers the anesthesia? Ideally, this person is a board-certified anesthesiologist or certified registered nurse anesthetist.
- Does the doctor have life-saving equipment and monitoring devices?
Plastic Surgeons are actively involved in patient education aimed at informing patients about how their lifestyle choices may affect their safety as well as their outcomes when undergoing a cosmetic surgery procedure. Some of the lifestyle factors that your surgeon may wish to discuss with you in your consultation may include your current weight, history of weight fluctuations, nutrition habits, vitamins and herbal supplements taken and exercise habits.
Other Important Factors to Consider for Your Safety
Multiple Procedures: A responsible physician will place your safety first, and will explain to you that only a certain number of procedures can be performed simultaneously to ensure your safety. The Plastic Surgeons opposes the performance of multiple, lengthy procedures that involve the risk of major blood loss.
Length of Procedures: If your procedure is going to take longer than six hours, your surgeon should ensure that your surgery is performed at a facility equipped for such a procedure, and that there will be adequate postoperative care and monitoring.
Risk of blood clots: Some people have a higher risk of developing blood clots in their extremities that can travel to their lungs and heart, possibly causing their death. Your surgeon and surgical facility must be qualified to ensure the safety of the following higher risk patients.
Extent of Blood Loss: Your surgeon or your general physician should perform appropriate blood testing before surgery to ensure that you are not anemic or prone to excessive bleeding. Also, procedures with anticipated blood loss should be performed at facilities where adequate blood and blood components are readily available for infusions.
Please remember to take your plastic surgery endeavor seriously. After all, it is no different than any other surgery that you might undergo. Nonetheless, every year millions of people undergo plastic surgery procedures safely, with the joy of having the outcome that they were seeking.