By Lisa Marie Carter
Millions of people are opting for cosmetic surgery. Before you go under the knife, ask yourself these questions.
- Do the positive possible medical advantages exceed the possible complications?
As with any procedure there is a potential for serious complications. - Have you considered alternative approaches?. Have you researched and/or tried all of the behavioral and alternative approaches available to you, like exercise and diet?
- Do you depend on external sources for your self-esteem? If you are thinking about plastic surgery because of vanity, and you believe your self-esteem rests on the outcome of the surgery, you may not be a good candidate.
- What are your expectations? Think about the end result before you take such a drastic step.
- Are your expectations realistic? Ask yourself if your expectations are pure fantasy.
- Will surgery help you reach reasonable goals? Are there any feasible goals that surgery could help you attain, such as alleviating back pain with a breast reduction surgery.
Once you have decided ask these four important questions to your surgeon.
- What are your qualifications? Look for a surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Also ask what kind of training the doctor has in the specific procedure you’re considering.
- How often have you done this procedure? Ideally, he or she has done the same procedure hundreds of times, over many years.
- What are the potential risks and complications? It’s a huge red flag if he promises a risk-free procedure—there’s no such thing.
- Do you have hospital privileges? If something goes wrong and you need to be admitted to a hospital, you want your doc to keep treating you himself, rather than turning you over to another doctor with no prior knowledge of the case
