Why You Should Use A Plastic Surgeon Who Understands All Your Needs
Consider these hypothetical questions. Would you put your family’s life in the hands of an inexperienced pilot on your next vacation? Would you invest your life savings with someone who couldn’t properly explain to you how investing works? Or would you buy a used car without having it thoroughly inspected by a mechanic? Of course you wouldn’t. Likewise, you wouldn’t let just anyone perform surgery on you without asking lots of questions and getting satisfactory answers.
At Janiga MDS, we understand that having surgery isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. Surgery brings the possibility of many unknowns. It also brings a host of questions you deserve to have answered by someone with enough depth of knowledge and experience to inspire complete confidence in you. By choosing an empathetic surgeon you’re comfortable with, you can overcome many of these fears of the unknown well before your procedure.
Here are a few of the top things to consider when choosing a surgeon.
Before Your Operation
It’s important to find a surgeon who listens attentively to your questions and answers them to your complete satisfaction. A good surgeon will also help fill in the gaps by discussing questions you didn’t ask and providing those answers.
A good surgeon will also review your medical history to ensure you are healthy enough for the procedure. This is especially important for patients with medical problems including allergies that might prevent them from having surgery. It also applies to anyone who has quit smoking within six weeks of the surgery, a factor that could hamper your ability to heal properly.
Your expectations are also a big factor not to be overlooked. In many procedures such as liposuction, where there is a limit to the volume of fat that can be removed, it’s important for you to fully understand what can and cannot be done during your procedure. Being armed with this sort of information can help you plan accordingly prior to surgery.
When you have a surgeon who listens to what you want, you gain an advocate who has a better understanding of your aesthetic desires, such as with breast size in a breast augmentation. Too often, we see patients years after they’ve had a breast augmentation elsewhere. They are unhappy with the size of their breasts and invariably come to us to discuss a revision. To avoid this, your surgeon should carefully review size expectations with you. Ideally, they will perform 3D imaging with you to confirm your wishes regarding size. This eliminates all doubts about the outcome of the surgery.
During Surgery
Simply put, you need a board-certified plastic surgeon operating at an accredited facility. Your surgeon should be technically skilled, give great attention to detail and keep your best interests at top of mind at all times.
Post-Op Considerations
Surgery doesn’t end when you wake up in post-op. It’s an ongoing process that continues as you heal and as you deal with any issues of pain and discomfort throughout your recovery. For the best experience, you will want a surgeon who has seen many post-operative cases and knows how to help you through each step of recovery. Each patient’s pain level, length of recovery and post-op course will vary. There will generally be some discomfort after surgery, and there will often be questions you forgot to ask or ones you already asked but need clarification on. The best surgeons will make themselves available to answers these questions after your procedure.
As you can see, many factors come into play when choosing to work with a particular surgeon, from the doctor’s experience to their attention to detail to how they respond to your fears and concerns. In the end, remember this: Don’t ever be afraid to ask questions. The more educated you are about your surgery, the more likely you are to have a positive surgical experience and recovery.
If you’d like to meet with me, Dr. Timothy Janiga, to discuss your options for cosmetic or other surgeries, feel free to contact me and set up a consultation.
