Important Points to Ponder Before Choosing a Cosmetic Treatment
Cosmetic Procedures: A Guide to Safe and Satisfying Results
When considering a cosmetic procedure, it's essential to approach the decision with care and thoughtfulness. Here are seven key factors to consider before undergoing any cosmetic treatment.
- Research the Procedure and Surgeon Researching the specific cosmetic procedure you want is crucial. Trusted sources like the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) can provide valuable information about benefits, risks, recovery process, and typical outcomes. Choose a board-certified plastic surgeon with credentials recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), such as certification by ABPS. Review the surgeon's experience with your chosen procedure by viewing before-and-after photos and patient reviews to assess their skill and aesthetic style. Confirm the surgeon operates in accredited surgical facilities that maintain strict safety standards.
- Assess Health and Medical History Provide a full disclosure of your medical history, current health status, medications, and any allergies during your consultation. This ensures you are a suitable candidate for surgery and helps reduce risks. Certain cosmetic procedures may require specific health prerequisites or may be contraindicated in individuals with particular conditions.
- Understanding Costs Cosmetic procedures often involve significant expense, and costs can vary widely. Confirm the full pricing upfront, including surgeon fees, anesthesia, facility charges, and any additional costs like medications or follow-up treatments. Some programs may offer procedures by fellows or residents at discounted rates, but it's important to weigh cost against surgeon expertise and supervision.
- Setting Realistic Expectations Align your expectations with what the procedure can realistically achieve. Surgeons can help set these by discussing achievable outcomes based on your anatomy and goals. Viewing previous patient results with the surgeon can assist in forming realistic goals.
- Considering Recovery Time Understand the expected recovery timeline, including downtime, restrictions on activities, and when you can resume normal or strenuous work. Recovery varies by procedure and individual health factors.
- Assessing Potential Risks and Complications Every surgical procedure carries risks such as infection, scarring, anesthesia complications, or unsatisfactory results. Discuss these thoroughly with your surgeon and understand how they manage and minimize risks.
- Planning for Follow-up Visits and Maintenance Treatments Postoperative care is crucial for healing and outcomes. Arrange for your follow-up appointments to monitor progress and address any concerns. Some cosmetic procedures require ongoing maintenance treatments or lifestyle adjustments to sustain results.
In summary, thorough research, selecting a board-certified and experienced surgeon, assessing your health status, understanding all costs, setting realistic expectations, considering recovery and risks, and planning postoperative care are essential before undergoing any cosmetic procedure to maximize safety and satisfaction. Discuss potential risks with your surgeon, including how complications are handled should they arise. Some cosmetic treatments, such as injectables, require maintenance to sustain the desired look, with Botox or filler injections needing to be repeated every few months, and skin resurfacing treatments requiring annual sessions to maintain effects. During recovery, patients may experience discomfort, swelling, or bruising, and should plan for possible limitations on certain activities.
[1] American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (n.d.). Patient safety. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.plasticsurgery.org/patient-safety
[2] American Board of Plastic Surgery. (n.d.). Find a surgeon. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.abpls.org/public/find-a-surgeon/
[3] American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. (n.d.). Patient safety. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.surgery.org/patients/safety
[4] American Board of Medical Specialties. (n.d.). Find a physician or healthcare provider. Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.abms.org/consumers/find-a-certified-physician/
- To maintain a youthful and healthy appearance, incorporating proper nutrition, skin care, fitness-and-exercise, and weight-management routines can complement the results of cosmetic procedures.
- Improving one's health-and-wellness can lead to an overall better physical appearance and may even lessen the need for certain cosmetic treatments in the future.
- Adopting a holistic approach to health by combining cosmetic procedures with science-backed lifestyle changes can contribute to long-term satisfaction and maintenance of results.
