If you’re thinking about getting plastic surgery, you should know that finding the most reliable plastic surgeon is the key to your surgery’s success. If you’re unsure of what to look for in a reliable surgeon, we are here to help. Keep reading below for our top signs to look for when finding a surgeon. 

They Should Have Expertise

Any plastic surgeon (and all of them to be exact) that you talk to should be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This certification is important because plastic surgery is something that is very complex and requires years of practice and learning to master it.

These certifications will also help to ensure that the surgeon meets the safety requirements that your country enforces. It will also prove that they have the medical skills needed to perform the procedure and have taken the time to learn how to do plastic surgeries properly.  

If you do not see a certification hanging on the wall of your surgeon’s office, there is no harm in asking about it. You can ask them things such as their prior involvement in teaching and writing or to speak on the procedure you’re thinking about getting done. The surgeon should then jump into why they are qualified to perform surgery and give you better peace of mind.

What If I’m Not Familiar With Medical Jargon?

If you’re not familiar with medical wording and certifications, figuring out what your surgeon’s certification means may seem a bit difficult. When looking for your surgeon, you should be looking to see if they have any type of certification listed.

Then you can search their certification online to see if it’s legit. Real certifications show that the surgeon has gone through the hours of trials to become board-certified, which isn’t an easy task. 

Your surgeon could also belong to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, which means that they will have to maintain a certain level of safety standards and rigorous training to become and maintain their American Society of Plastic Surgeons status. 

Experience Is Important When It Comes To Being a Reliable Plastic Surgeon

In addition to the correct training and education, their certificate will confirm, your surgeon should also have experience when it comes to performing surgery. They should have specific training and experience in the surgery you want to be done; this is very important.

Some surgeons will specialize in certain procedures. When looking for the right surgeon to perform the work you want to be done, your procedure should be in his top three or one of his or her specialties. 

You may be wondering how you can tell if your surgeon is a specialist in the procedure you want to be done without taking their word for it? Well, you can find out yourself by seeing how often they have performed the procedure. For the surgeon to be considered a specialist, they should do the procedure in questions more than once per week for at least five years.

You can find this out by either asking your surgeon directly or looking into their portfolio of work. You can even get a better idea of how long they’ve been doing the procedure if you take into account when they started practicing.

Since plastic surgery is so complex, this is a very important part of finding the right surgeon, so you don’t get botched. Ensuring that your surgeon has done the procedure a few times will show that he has the right skills to do your surgery correctly.

Study Your Surgeon’s Style and Approach

With the vast experience they should have, your surgeon should be somewhat of an artist as well. Plastic surgery requires some creative skill and artistry to give you the best results.

When looking for a surgeon, you should research and see what their style is. This will help you to determine if the surgeon can give you the results you want and maintain the vision you have for yourself. 

It’s important to note that a good plastic surgeon will require that their provider be able to tailor their treatment to your situation and needs. This means if you go in with a specific vision, the surgeon should be able to use their years of experience and their creative mind to tailor the job perfectly to what you want. 

Look At Their Portfolio

When looking for the perfect plastic surgeon to give you the best work possible, it may seem like an easy task. You will have a vision in your mind about what you want the completed job to look like. Having a vision is the first step to getting work done, but not looking at your surgeon’s portfolio beforehand and jumping headfirst into the procedure is one-way plastic surgery goes wrong.

If you have confirmed that your surgeon has the experience and expertise needed for your specific surgery, you should then look at their portfolio. Their portfolio will show if they can provide you with exceptional results and can give you your vision.

When looking at their portfolio, you should also pay close attention to the photos of other patients that had the procedure you want to have done. You will want to look and see if they have a similar structure to you and how the procedure turned out. This will help to give you a better idea of what your surgeon can do and what you can expect. 

Their portfolio should include before and after photos so you can see what the client looked like before the surgery. After looking at the portfolio and feel confidant in your surgeon, it will be time to make an appointment. 

Look Into Their Facility

Finding the perfect surgeon is half the battle, the other half is finding the best facility to have your surgery in. Each surgeon will have a place they either go to do surgeries or their office will be equipped with the items needed to perform surgery in-house.

When looking for your reliable plastic surgeon you will also want to research and check out the facility they will be operating on you at. The facility should ideally be accredited and accommodating.

Since you won’t be having your procedure at a hospital, you should make sure that the facility your procedure will take place in is held to the highest safety standards. They should also be held to providing the best patient care.

If you need to find out if a facility is accredited by an organization, you can do so easily by trying to find either a state license, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), Title XVIII Medicare participation, Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, or American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAASF) certification. These certifications and licenses will inform you that the facility is held to a standard, and it will be a safe space to have your surgery in.

You Should Trust Your Surgeon

Another important thing to note is that when finding a reliable plastic surgeon, you should be able to trust them. If you don’t feel as if you can trust your surgeon, then they won’t be reliable, it’s as simple as that.

With this said, it may take talking to a few surgeons and visiting their offices to find the best one for you. Feeling as if it’s easy to have a conversation with your surgeon and building rapport is easy means they may be the right fit for you.

Even having a nice relationship with the staff can be beneficial. If you have a great relationship with the office, it can really be the deciding factor on if you’ll have a great surgery or a bad one.

Also, when you find a surgeon that you can connect with, you will feel better and more confidant in your procedure. This is because you will be more open and honest with your surgeon, making it easy to ask any questions or state any concerns you may have.

Another benefit you may notice from having an easy-going relationship with your surgeon is that you can tell them what goals you have for after surgery. Whether they are lifestyle goals or fitness ones, your surgeon will help to make sure you can achieve them after recovery. 

An important note we want to make is that any great and reliable provider will outline a realistic timeline for you. This timeline will include recovery based on your medical history and be an important aid in the recovery process. If your surgeon isn’t easy to get along with, doesn’t answer questions, or gives you a realistic timeline, then it’s time to keep looking for a more reliable one. 

Honesty From Your Doctor Is Important

Looking for honesty in your surgeon may be one of the most important things when it comes to finding a reliable plastic surgeon. Your surgeon isn’t there to tell you the things you want to hear; they are there to tell you the truth.

The best surgeons on the planet are honest. They will provide you with straightforward advice and guidance. Sometimes this guidance will be telling you that they can’t do your surgery.

If this comes up, it’s important to not get beside yourself. The surgeon is telling you straight up that they don’t feel confidant in the procedure. This means you can go on and find a surgeon that is more familiar and ultimately give you the results you want.

Your surgeon should also be straightforward about the results you can expect from your procedure. Even if the results are good or bad, they should be able to tell you before booking your surgery so you can decide if you’d like to follow through or not.

Remember That Customer Service Is an Important Indicator

You will want to make sure that you’re being treated well during and after your surgery, but this is important even when your home post-operation. When looking for a reliable surgeon, you should note how you feel when you walk into their office.

If the staff doesn’t appear friendly and willing to help, then it may be a good reflection of how they will act with those after getting your procedure done. Even when you contact the practice to schedule appointments or ask questions, are you getting prompt responses? 

If not, you may want to start looking for another plastic surgeon. If the surgeon and their staff aren’t welcoming and attentive at the beginning, then they won’t be in the end. After all, this is a business transaction, and you should be treated with respect and feel welcomed when contacting the business at any time.  

Now You Know What to Look for in a Reliable Plastic Surgeon

We have given you the top tips on what to look for in a reliable plastic surgeon. If you’re thinking about getting a procedure done, you can feel more prepared now that you know what to look for to see if your surgeon is qualified.

If you’re in or near Atlanta, Georgia, and are considering have any type of work done, we’re honored to have our very own Atlanta Plastic Surgeon in Dr. Elizabeth Whitaker.

If you would like to set up a free consultation to find out what’s best for you, please fill out a request appointment form and one of our friendly staff members will reach out to you. 

To ensure the safety of our patients and staff, we also offer virtual consultations so you can have a safe, personal consultation from the convenience of your home.