HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD PLASTIC SURGEON?
INSIDER TIPS AND QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN CHOOSING A PLASTIC SURGEON
After much deliberation, you have decided to have a certain aesthetic treatment done... The next question is: where and by whom do you get treatment?
In the beginning you will not see the wood for the trees, because a simple Google search already gives as many results as possible.
... So how do you go about it?
How do I decide which doctor or clinic to choose for my treatment?
There are several criteria to determine whether a particular plastic surgeon is right for you and your treatment. We would like to share some concrete insider tips and questions for selecting a good plastic surgeon as a guide:
1. IS THE DOCTOR CERTIFIED AS A PLASTIC SURGEON
Always check first what the professional title and education of your practitioner is.
Are you dealing with a "Plastic Surgeon" or a "Cosmetic/Aesthetic Doctor/Surgeon"? In a previous blog, we explained the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic or aesthetic doctor. It is an important first indication to know if your doctor has had the required training to perform this aesthetic treatment.
2. WHAT EXPERIENCE DOES THIS PLASTIC SURGEON HAVE, MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR MY TREATMENT?
Find a plastic surgeon with significant relevant experience in the specific treatment you are interested in. Experienced plastic surgeons will usually have a sub-specialization within plastic surgery, for example aesthetic plastic surgery (e.g. rhinoplasty, breast augmentations,...) or reconstructive plastic surgery (e.g. burns).
Also investigate whether your plastic surgeon is only just taking his / her "first steps" in this world or has been building his / her good name and experience for years?
3. DOES THIS PLASTIC SURGEON FOLLOW CONTINUOUS TRAINING TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL NEW MEDICAL DEVELOPMENTS?
Does your plastic surgeon follow permanent medical training and conferences about the field and treatment you wish to have done? Or is he/she "stuck" without wanting to go along with the many evolutions in the sector?
Read the website of the practitioner or the clinic carefully. Here you will often find interesting information about the training, specialization and experience of the plastic surgeon, how long he has been active, the refresher courses and conferences that he follows, the before and after photos of the treatments in which he specializes,...
4. ARE THERE QUALITY MARKS FOR PLASTIC SURGERY?
Membership of certain recognized professional organizations can be considered as a quality mark for plastic surgeons.
We recommend that you definitely check the following:
Membership of such organizations not only offers the opportunity for continuous education and training, but also useful connections with fellow plastic surgeons to possibly consult about certain treatments.
5. AVOID "BIG CHAIN" CLINICS
More and more we see large "chain" private clinics with multiple locations, a lot of hired practitioners and often rock-bottom prices.
These are often run from a very commercial angle, often by non-doctors. You will therefore find (temporarily) hired doctors here who are either at the beginning of their career (and try to build up the relevant experience here, before starting their own practice) or have a less good reference (and therefore have not been able to develop their own practice).
It's like choosing between a low budget hotel where the service and accommodation are similar and where you are treated like a number or a boutique hotel where the owner tries to give you the best experience with heart and soul.
6. WHAT REFERENCES CAN I FIND ABOUT THIS PLASTIC SURGEON?
In a sector where many people still prefer to keep it secret that they have something done (especially in Belgium), it is sometimes difficult to get word of mouth.
Therefore, it is useful to read online reviews and testimonials from other patients.
Read both the positive and negative reviews about a particular clinic and practitioner. Do this with a healthy portion of perspective and filter the reviews as you would with other types of reviews. Also read the reactions of the clinic itself to any negative reviews.
Possible sources of reviews for plastic surgery are:
- Google: Google "name doctor or clinic + reviews",
- Facebook page of the doctor or clinic,
- online booking system of the doctor for example Doctena,
- forums,
- the website of the clinic (for the positive reviews 😊).
7. CONSULT SEVERAL CLINICS/DOCTORS.
Make an appointment for a consultation with all clinics/doctors on your shortlist. This is the only way to know which plastic surgeon you have the best click with .
Often, you will also get a better "look and feel" of the clinic on site than if you just look at the website.
In the end, it's purely personal with whom you get the best click. Even if you receive the exact same treatment as your neighbor, you may not have a connection to her/his plastic surgeon. It's a very individual experience, so what feels right for your neighbor may not make sense to you.
8. FIRST IMPRESSION
You want to be sure that you will be well taken care of. The first impression is therefore often very important.
- Do I feel welcome?
- Is everyone friendly?
- Do they devote their time to me and my (even seemingly banal) questions?
- Do I feel confident in these people?
9. OPEN COMMUNICATION
Choose a surgeon with whom you can communicate openly and comfortably. The surgeon should be ready to answer your questions and discuss any concerns or fears.
10. A PLASTIC SURGEON MAY (MUST) ALSO SAY NO
Also, don't be disappointed if a plastic surgeon advises against your planned treatment.
Often you should even be happy that the plastic surgeon does not just give in to your assessment and quickly performs a treatment that is actually not suitable for you. You may save a lot of money and disappointment with it.
A good plastic surgeon will also not hesitate to refer you (to another doctor) if he/she will be better suited and/or has more experience with a certain treatment.
11. CHOOSE A PLASTIC SURGEON WHOSE RESULTS APPEAL TO YOU
Tastes differ. For that reason, you can not only continue on the recommendation of a friend or acquaintance, but you should also be able to check whether this is your aesthetic taste based on the results of a certain doctor.You can do this by making it clear during the viewing of the before and after photos at the consultation what you like and do not like.
It is also important that these photos are first properly filtered out by the plastic surgeon so that they are comparable to your body characteristics, your age,... Because otherwise you compare with the wrong examples and you get wrong expectations.
12. LOCATION AND FACILITIES
Examine the location of the clinic and the facilities offered, such as the hygiene and safety of the clinic, and whether the clinic is equipped with the latest technologies and equipment.
- Are the procedures performed in an accredited surgical facility?
Even if a certain procedure seems fairly standard, you should always check whether a full-fledged surgery facility is offered. In the case of a private clinic (these are the non-public hospitals) in Belgium, be sure to check whether it has the BSPC (Belgian Society for Private Clinics) quality mark. This unites the top of the Belgian private clinics in plastic and aesthetic surgery.
- Is there a permanent anesthesiologist present? Or is only sedation anaesthetic offered? The presence of an experienced anesthesiologist is definitely a must for certain treatments.
13. PRICE
It is important to discuss the cost of treatment and understand what costs are or are not included.
However, do not choose based on cost alone, because the quality of care and the end result are much more important.
If the price is too low, there is usually a "catch", for example lower quality of prostheses, a less experienced doctor, ...
14. AFTERCARE
Also, check that the plastic surgeon has a clear plan for your postoperative care, including follow-up visits and aftercare.
- Will my plastic surgeon / clinic be easily accessible in case of a possible post-op problem?
- Will my plastic surgeon still work at the clinic where I have my surgery done? Or is it a large private clinic or chain with a high turnover of doctors? You will be seen by a colleague, but this will never be the same because no one likes to solve someone else's problems.
15. RED FLAGS
Finally, we give some "red flags", special points of attention why it is better NOT to choose a certain plastic surgeon or clinic:
- Poor telephone or online accessibility (e.g. no website).
- You will not see the attending physician during your consultation. Or you suddenly get a different practitioner during the procedure than the one who did your consultation.
- You will not receive a cooling-off period or you can be treated within a week. Don't be pressured to book quickly. Not even, for example, on the basis of temporary price actions. This is not the industry to do this.
It remains your body and your health, which you should not compromise on. Plastic surgery can be a positive life-changing experience, if it's not rushed. Experienced plastic surgeons understand this and therefore will not pressure you to make a decision or rush you to a procedure before you are 100% ready yourself.
Take your time, visit other clinics, inform yourself... before you make your decision. If necessary, make a second consultation appointment with the same plastic surgeon. For some treatments this is even mandatory by Dr Nelissen, before he wants to do the treatment.
For the same reason, it is also best to avoid plastic surgeons who do treatments or injectables at beauticians (on commission) or at "botox home parties". These are usually practices for beginning plastic surgeons or doctors and often lead to treatments under pressure.
- You will not receive a written proposal with the details of your treatment, e.g. with the size of the prosthesis or the number of cc (in the case of breast augmentation) or mention of the substance that was injected (in the case of injectables).
- You will not receive a written total cost of the treatment including the cost of the surgery facility, anesthesia,... Be sure to check whether the mandatory VAT on aesthetic procedures is stated.
- You will not receive a 24/24 post-op contact number.
16. THE RIGHT PROFESSIONAL
For example, if you want to have a renovation work carried out on your house, you look for a contractor with the right specialization and you also look at the (online) reviews. In other words, you look for the "right professional for the job".
So why should you be less strict in selecting the right professional for your own body?
Because just like in the world of construction, there are unfortunately also a lot of people in our sector who do not have the necessary skills but who let people fall into the trap through smooth sales talk.
Especially for aesthetic treatments, it is important that you first screen well by whom you want to be treated. The demand for aesthetic practices has increased rapidly over the past 10 years. This attracts not only doctors but also non-doctors or non-specialist doctors.
And yet we still see it too often in our practice. People come for a second opinion or for a re-do (recovery treatment) after they did not thoroughly research the training and experience of their practitioner for the first time and are now too ashamed to go back to the same practitioner.
We hope that these tips can help you screen your ideal plastic surgeon. We have already found ours. 😊