Did you know that it takes less than 100 milliseconds for people to make a first impression?

It’s not just the clothes you wear or how you carry yourself. Self-confidence plays a big role. And one of the big things that can weaken your self-confidence is being unhappy with your appearance.

From cleft palates to crooked noses, many are unhappy with their facial features. You may feel less attractive or competent. Luckily, a plastic surgeon is here to help.

Plastic surgery can give you an appearance you’re proud of and confident in.

But this is a delicate operation. Finding a plastic surgeon in Atlanta you can trust may seem like a daunting prospect. In this guide, we’ll discuss how to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Find the Right Plastic Surgeon in Atlanta for Your Procedure

Plastic surgeons can provide a wide variety of procedures. They can do breast augmentation, gender-affirming surgery, and most. The most common among these is the facelift.

What Is a Facelift?

A facelift is a type of rejuvenation surgery. It’s an effective procedure that can give you more youthful skin. The doctor lifts and stretches your skin out, making you look younger.

A facelift is an elective procedure. Speak with your healthcare provider to see if you get coverage. Whatever the case, you can find affordable rates from your local plastic surgeon.

While you go in for a facelift, your doctor may be able to address other issues. There are options for the chin, ears, and lips.

What Problems Does a Facelift Fix?

As the name implies, a facelift addresses deep wrinkles and sagging skin on your face. It helps with the forehead, brow area, and lines around the eyes. It can also address the cheeks, nose, and upper lips.

A facelift can also help with neck wrinkles. These neck wrinkles can be long and deep and contribute to a facelift procedure.

The most common wrinkles are jowls, sagging skin, and drooping eyelids. A facelift works great in addressing these deep, extreme wrinkles.

There are several kinds of facelifts that you can get.

Things to Look for in a Plastic Surgeon

The best plastic surgeon for you should have a few key features. Whether they’re a facial plastic surgeon or a plastic surgeon for nose, keep a few of these things in mind.

• Professional Accreditation
• Proof of Education and Experience
• Publications
• Awards
• Testimonials
• Bedside Manner
• Before and After Results
• Specialization
• Word of Mouth
• Frequently Asked Questions

Professional Accreditation

Most important of all, you need to know that your plastic surgeon in Atlanta has a license to practice. If they are not forthcoming about their credentials, this could be a bad sign. These credentials should be easy to find, and should clearly state that the surgeon works in this field.

This is a big procedure, so don’t hesitate to verify these credentials. Medical institutions will provide public records that are free to access. You can ensure that your medical professional has the credentials they claim to have.

In some rare cases, medical professionals may lose their credentials. This can come as a result of malpractice or poor ethical conduct. It never hurts to do a search on your surgeon in case they lost their credentials.

Pay attention to ensure you are working with a board-certified plastic surgeon. That means a board of medical professionals has cleared them to practice medicine. They’ve been evaluated in-depth to receive that approval.

Proof of Education and Experience

Accreditation means nothing without education and experience.

First and foremost, make sure your doctor has their residency and an internship. These are necessary steps for all medical doctors. It’s the beginner experience they receive before practicing full-time.

The more experience a doctor has, the better. A doctor that has been in the game for decades is a doctor that has seen every sort of case. They know what to do in diverse situations.

Further, an experienced doctor will help you to avoid complications. They’ve seen how surgery can go wrong or what sorts of adverse results you should avoid.

Like any career, experience is invaluable. There is no other way for a person to learn these things without getting hands-on. If your doctor only has a couple of years of experience, that’s less desirable than a decade or more.

Publications

Publications are the cherry on top when it comes to a doctor. Most doctors have the accreditation and experience, but few have publications.

Publications mean that they’ve been involved in research. They may have taken part in medical advancements related to their field. In some cases, they may have pioneered brand-new procedures or technologies.

Whatever the case, a surgeon with publications is proof of devotion to their field. They love what they do and have worked hard to further medical knowledge.

A history of publications means the surgeon is involved with the medical community. That means they are working hard to improve their procedures.

Awards

It’s not just the board certification and experience that counts. What sets a distinguished surgeon out from the rest is whether or not their work has gotten noticed. And the best way to do this is through their awards.

Look for awards from prestigious institutions. Colleges are a great place to start. These awards are highly sought-after, and the more your plastic surgeon has, the better.

These awards are difficult to obtain, such as from the AMWA. They require the utmost medical rigor over a long, distinguished career. They don’t give awards to just anyone.

In other words, someone who has awards is good at what they do. They’re so good that they’ve gotten notice from the experts in that field. An award is like an additional certification stamped on top of a doctor’s professional certification.

Testimonials

The best way to know whether you can trust a medical professional is through their testimonials. Don’t just rely on the testimonials they provide on their website. Look for external websites that provide local reviews of medical professionals.

Pay attention to the trends you see there. If there is a large quantity of one-star reviews, that’s a bad sign. However, even relatively high average reviews may include a few bad ones that you should pay attention to.

In some cases, you can contact reviewers. For example, a local Facebook group may post reviews of plastic surgeons. Send a private message to the reviewer if you have further questions about the process.

Bedside Manner

It’s important to think of your relationship with a doctor as a friendship. Don’t view it as just a professional transaction. This is someone who is going to make a life-changing surgery on you.

As such, if your plastic surgeon isn’t friendly or warm, don’t be ashamed to walk. You should feel comfortable in their office. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with them before and after surgery.

Be on the lookout for doctors that try to personalize the experience. Doctors who ask about your personal life are a great start. Equally important are doctors who make sure that you’re comfortable.

Plastic surgery is a huge step. The best plastic surgeon understands this and will do everything they can to make you feel safe. If your plastic surgeon doesn’t make you feel like you’re in good hands, that’s a bad sign.

Before and After Results

Perhaps the best way to evaluate a plastic surgeon is by their results. After all, you’re coming to them to get a procedure with long-term results. If you have to return to them to correct the operation, that’s not a surgeon you want to work with.

The best way to do this is to look at their before and after gallery. A before and after gallery should have plenty of post-op pics from patients. If a doctor only has one or two, that might not be a good sign.

Further, look for post-op pics that show detail. High-quality pictures are ideal to see exactly how significant the surgery was. If the difference between the pictures isn’t noticeable, that could be a bad sign.

Pay attention to scarring. Scarring is usually the first sign of poorly-done plastic surgery. If a person’s face looks clean and natural, that’s a good sign.

Look for pictures that have the doctor’s watermark, too. You want to avoid a surgeon who has pulled pictures from the internet. The watermark is an assurance that these patients did get their surgery at the prospective clinic.

Specialization

Most plastic surgeons focus on a limited set of surgeries. A plastic surgeon for breast augmentation may have a very different skill set compared to a facial plastic surgeon. If you’re looking for a facelift, it’s obvious which of the two you should turn to.

In some cases, you can find a general plastic surgeon who hands a wide variety of cases. However, prioritize a specialized surgeon first.

With something as delicate as the face, you can’t mess around. This is an invasive surgery, and you only want the best for yourself.

Word of Mouth

Ask around! Chances are, you have a friend who has gotten a procedure from the plastic surgeon you’re looking at. Word of mouth is always the best way to evaluate a doctor.

Ask this person as many questions as they feel comfortable with. Ask them about the doctor’s conduct. Ask them about concerns they had, and if the doctor addressed them.

Further, ask about their procedure. Ask how long it took to recover and if there was any pain. Ask if there were any complications following the surgery.

This is a big deal, so clear up all of your doubts. You need to be sure this is the right step forward. A friend is a great way to get a good look at a doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question, there’s a good chance the doctor has answered it. Look for an FAQ page on your doctor’s site. It’s a great place to find answers to questions you don’t see elsewhere.

If you haven’t yet met the doctor, this is a great way to “meet” them beforehand. It may clear up some of your doubts about the procedure. You can feel more confident when you come in for your real appointment.

Find a Plastic Surgeon in Atlanta

Plastic surgery is a big step towards having a youthful appearance and skin. However, it’s important that you do research on your plastic surgeon. Keep the above tips in mind during your search.

It never hurts to see what options you have. Book a free appointment today and find out how you can get back your youthful appearance.