You’ve decided you want to have a procedure done. You finally have the courage, the money, the time and the conviction. So how do you go about choosing the cosmetic surgeon that’s the best fit for you?
Dr. Jeff Popp says there are three things you really need to consider
Experience
Obviously, the more times a doctor has done a particular procedure, the more confident you will feel in his ability to help you.
Board Certification
The doctor you select should be board certified in cosmetic surgery. Dr. Popp says it’s helpful if they are certified in facial plastic or oculofacial, facial or general plastic surgery as well. “Some people will confuse board certification in plastic surgery as being the same as having experience in cosmetic surgery and it’s not the same thing,” says Dr. Popp.
In fact, many plastic surgery residencies have little exposure to cosmetic procedures. They are tending to burns and trauma or the reconstructive side of things. That’s why Dr. Popp says it’s nice to see doctors who have board certification in cosmetic surgery above and beyond their other board certifications, whatever they may be.
Facilities
Where is the doctor doing the procedures? The facility your doctor of choice uses – whether in an office, hospital or freestanding building – should be accredited.
Dr. Popp explains, “That doesn’t mean something bad like an infection won’t happen, but it puts a higher, consistent and uniform national standard out there that people have to follow in terms of sterility, cleanliness and safety.”
The biggest red flag is…sales!
This means you go in to have a consultation with your prospective doctor and in after speaking with you about the procedure you want done, he suggest extra procedures. “My philosophy is that a patient has to tell me what’s bugging them before I offer advice. A lot of other places offer suggestions out of the blue to sell procedures and not necessarily to help the patient,” Dr. Popp says.
Ya gotta have personality. Seriously, it’s most important that the doctor you go to has knowledge, skills and ability but if he also has a good personality, you’ve found your doctor.
Cosmetic procedures are elective so those patients sometimes require more hand-holding than a patient who has to have a medically-necessary procedure. And this can take a lot of patience on the doctor’s part.
“I earn my money largely in post-operative management of my patients as opposed to actually doing their procedures. I don’t think you can teach bedside manner. You either have it or you don’t,” he says.
Set up your consultation with Dr. Popp at 402-391-4558.
