Choosing the right plastic surgeon for your facelift can be one of the most difficult parts of the facelift process. Once the decision to move forward with facial plastic surgery has been made, the next step, finding the surgeon who is the perfect doctor for you can seem like an overwhelming task.
Having consulted with thousands of patients over the years, some who have done their research prior to our meeting and many who have not, one thing is clear, you can never be too prepared with your research when it comes to choosing a plastic surgeon. You would not build a home from scratch without thoroughly examining all aspects of the land, finding the right contractors and architects and fully equipping yourself with as much knowledge as you possibly can from a layman’s point of view. Securing the right plastic surgeon for your facelift should be no different. You need to arm yourself with as much information as you can. You need to become as knowledgeable as possible before undergoing any procedure, especially a facelift. The more you know before hand, the more you know what to ask during your initial consultation and the savvier you will be with managing expectations.
Do your research and get to know your doctor
Luckily for you, the internet can be a great and sometimes overwhelming resource. You can find everything here from degrees and certifications to malpractice suits. Your doctor needs to be Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and preferably by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. To check, it is as easy as putting their name in here: https://www.abfprs.org/certified/finder.
While this may seem obvious, many patients assume certification and forget to double check.
Check the Health Grades, Real Self, Yelp
Be prepared for the good and the bad. These are unfiltered boards and while you may have settled on a doctor to work with, you may discover the office is famous for a three-hour waiting room wait. Or that wonderful doctor, famous for the famous faces he or she’s worked on, has an unfriendly bedside manner. Be prepared and pick your battles. You will find out what is important to you.
Photo Galleries
Before/After
There is no better way to assess a plastic surgeon’s facelift work then seeing it with your own eyes. If you know someone who has been a patient with them, great, if not, then relying on their online Before/After galleries will be your best tool. Remember, the doctor is only putting up their best photos. If you only find one or two that you like online, then keep these odds in mind and request to see their full book once you are in the office. Go through the book with the doctor, ask questions and more specifically ask to see photos of the way your face might be addressed. The more pictures the better as it means the doctor is performing this surgery a lot. This is also a great way to get comfortable talking to your doctor. The facelift journey is personal, delicate and can be very emotional. You want to know that you can ask your doctor anything and feel fully relaxed, accepted and fearless in doing so.
Specialization
If you are looking for work from the neck up, it makes sense to choose a doctor who specializes in facelifts. If a doctor is infamous for mommy makeovers but also does facelifts, that might not be your best choice. Find a specialized facial plastic surgeon where this is what he or she does, day in and day out. This is the doctor who has seen it all, who can trouble shoot a difficult situation, who has chosen this area of the body to focus on out of passion and talent. And do your best to forget about price. This is not a house, a car or a new outfit. It is your face. You only have one. If you need to wait until you don’t have to think about price, then do-so or look into some of the creative ways plastic surgery can be billed, from financing to insurance. I am not saying a high priced surgeon means the best, but facial plastic surgery is not something you want to get ‘a good deal on.’
Maximize your consultation
Choosing a surgeon for your facial plastic surgery can and should be a very serious thing. It’s your face and you only have one. However, it should not be daunting. The consultation is crucial for information gathering. It is just as important for the surgeon to get to know the patient during this meeting as it is for the patient to get to know the surgeon. Let me help you navigate through your questions and concerns by coming in to talk and going over your needs and objectives. I invite you to come in so we can discuss your options, look through photos together and see if our office is right for you. We also offer concierge services, taking the guesswork out of your post-op facelift recovery.
Please call our offices and schedule your facelift consult with Dr. Honrado today 310-286 0043.