Liposuction FAQS > Chooising A Surgeon
FAQ: Choosing A Surgeon
1. Should I Base My Decision on the Cost of Liposuction?
Decisions about liposuction should not be based solely on the cost of liposuction.
The cheapest procedure might mean that the surgeon does the procedure quickly
and incompletely. Liposuction is a hand-crafted art form. Would you base
a decision to buy a painting on its price or on the aesthetic judgment and
skill of the artist? It is more reasonable to base your decision about liposuction
on the surgeon's reputation, the surgeon's apparent skill, the surgeon's
experience and the surgeon's ability to communicate with you in a manner
that is professional, sincere, comfortable, and unhurried. Five years after
your liposuction, you will probably not remember the exact amount you paid
for the surgery, but you will aware of the quality of the results for the
rest of your life. The most common source of disappointment following liposuction
is dissatisfaction with the degree of improvement ("it looks as if nothing
was done") or unhappiness with uneven lumpy-bumpy results. The liposuction
cost should not be the main basis for your choice of surgeon. Do not put
your body on the bargain rack.
2. What Questions Should I Ask?
You should feel free to ask any question you have about liposuction. In fact,
it is the patient's responsibility to make sure that all important questions
have been asked and answered before making any final decisions about having
liposuction. A liposuction surgeon or the surgeon's staff should be willing
to discuss and attempt to answer any question you have about liposuction. Do
not feel embarrassed to ask difficult questions about the surgeon or about
liposuction. You can find a comprehensive list of questions you might want
to consider by clicking on Choosing a Surgeon page.
3. Can I Ask the Surgeon Any Questions I Want?
Yes. Feel free to ask any question you want. Do not feel intimidated, but be polite. Every responsible liposuction surgeon wants patients to have realistic expectations. The only way you and the surgeon can be reasonably certain that your expectations are realistic is for you to make every effort to have all your questions answered.
4. When Do I Have To Make My Decision?
Do not feel pressured to make a decision about having liposuction. Your initial consultation with a surgeon should be regarded as an opportunity to gather all the information that you will need to make a reasonable decision about liposuction. If after your first consultation, you have some new questions, or if you feel the need for further clarifications, you should return to see the surgeon for a second consultation.
5. Will The Surgeon Answer All My Questions Before I Make a Decision?
The surgeon ought to answer all of your questions before you make your decision
to have liposuction. Every ethical liposuction surgeon will want to be certain
that you feel comfortable about having enough information to make a well-informed
decision. Often the surgeon and the surgeon's staff will act as a team during
your consultations, and together they should be able to answer every one of
your important questions about liposuction. Be wary of a surgeon who is evasive
in answering your questions. If a surgeon is not willing or is not able to
answer your questions before liposuction surgery, then it is possible that
any questions or problems you encounter after surgery will not be adequately
addressed.
6. Can Liposuction Advertisements be Trusted?
Advertisements for cosmetic surgery have two purposes. First, an advertisement
should inform prospective patients about the location of the surgeon and about
the availability of the surgeon's cosmetic surgical procedures. Unless patients
know about and can find a surgeon, the world's best liposuction surgeon with
the safest surgical technique might have very few patients. Second, a cosmetic
surgery advertisement is intended to sell you a service. You can often use
such ads to judge the quality and honesty of the surgeon by critically judging
the professionalism of a cosmetic surgery advertisement. Be wary of ads that
use unqualified superlatives. Finally, don't expect liposuction ads to inform
you of every possible risk of liposuction. Information about the risks and
complications of liposuction should be obtained from the surgeon during the
in-person consultation and by reading information in publications and on the
internet as you are doing now. Surgeons who advertise may be the world's best,
but unqualified surgeons may also advertise.