Questions to Consider when Choosing a Plastic Surgeon
With the popularity of cosmetic surgery on the rise, many doctors who lack specific accreditation in or experience with cosmetic surgery procedures are trying to cash in on the trend, often with catastrophic results to patients.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sanjiv Kayastha encourages those considering cosmetic surgery to research prospective plastic surgeons carefully and to schedule a personal consultation to ensure you feel comfortable with your surgeon and that your procedure or procedures have been explained to you in detail.
The Sept. 14, 2011, USA Today article “What to ask when picking a plastic or cosmetic surgeon” offers a good starting point for questions to ask when considering cosmetic surgery. Among the questions suggested are:
Is your plastic surgeon board-certified, and if so, by what board?
The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the only board recognized by the American board of Medical Specialties specifically related to the certification of cosmetic surgery. That said, other state-licensed physicians often perform cosmetic surgery procedures without explicit experience or ABPS board certification.
How often does your surgeon perform the type of surgery you’re considering?
If you are considering, for example, breast augmentation, it’s best to choose a plastic surgeon who specializes in breast procedures as opposed to a surgeon who focuses his or her practice primarily on facelifts. Some board-certified plastic surgeons like Dr. Kayastha have extensive experience in a broad spectrum of areas.
What do your surgeon’s previous patients say about the cosmetic surgery experience?
Most reputable plastic surgeons will post before-and-after galleries of their work on their websites in addition to patient comments from patients.
If you live in the Albany, Schenectady or Saratoga Springs, New York, areas and are considering plastic surgery, pleasecontact the office of Dr. Sanjiv Kayastha to schedule your personal consultation.
