There are so many reasons why you might be looking for a plastic surgeon but no matter what your reasons are, it is important to choose one with the right credentials and experience in the procedure you are interested in. Sometimes you may want a cosmetic procedure that isn’t right for you and a less-than-ethical surgeon will agree.
While you would hope that wouldn’t be the case, how many of those horrid before and after photos have you seen published online where it was obvious the patient was a wrong candidate for that particular procedure? It is so important to know what you are getting into, prior to scheduling surgery with a plastic surgeon. Here is some of what you should be looking for.
Board Certifications and Affiliations
It is first imperative that you check a plastic surgeon’s board certifications. After that, you might want to look at their academic curriculum. Some plastic surgeons complete only the bare minimum of academics to prepare them for certification within the field.
You can always tell a doctor who truly cares about their specialty simply by examining the number of post graduate specialties they cared to study. Then there are professional societies a plastic surgeon should belong to.
The best Toronto plastic surgeon would be a member of no less than two societies being The Canadian Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and The Canadian Laser Aesthetic Surgery Society. At the very least, those are important points to consider.
Experience in the Field
While there are promising plastic surgeons just recently certified, there is something to be said for experience in the field. It only takes that one case that falls outside the ‘norm’ to put a doctor of any kind out of their element.
With experience, surgeons learn to detect irregularities that could alter procedures and surgeries that are safe for that particular patient. A surgeon who has been practicing for decades can be trusted due to the sheer number of years they have been in practice. No doctor would make it that long without a solid track record behind them.
Former Patient Recommendations
There is nothing like recommendations from former patients to set your mind at ease about a plastic surgeon, or a doctor of any kind for that matter. One of the things we’ve got going for us in the 21st century is the World Wide Web, and worldwide it is! If there was ever a way to track down a doctor’s reputation, it would be through an online search.
Even with that said, once again it should be reiterated that there is no way a plastic surgeon could be in practice for a great number of years if they weren’t highly professional and expert in their field.
Whether you are looking for cosmetic or reconstructive surgery, it is vitally important that you put your trust in a surgeon who deserves that trust. You have the right to vet both the doctor and their certifications as well as the facility, so take the time to verify that is the right doctor for your particular needs.