Before deciding to undergo plastic surgery, it is important to understand all the features of the procedure and fully trust the doctor. What to look for when choosing a clinic and a surgeon and what you need to know before the operation, says Samvel Petrosyants, a plastic surgeon at the DMC Center for Innovative Medicine.
Plastic surgeon at the DMC Center for Innovative Medicine
The first thing you should do is check with the clinic whether it has a medical license. The clinic must comply with the procedures for providing up-to-date medical care in the field of plastic surgery; they can be found in the public domain on the website of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.
Questions about what equipment the clinic has, what tools and equipment will be used during the operation are completely normal and should not cause difficulties for the doctor. Also, if the operation involves the installation of implants, for example, for breast augmentation, detailed information about them (series, brand, size) is indicated in the contract with the patient.
Check whether the clinic has an intensive care unit and an anesthesiologist-rheumatologist. The planned surgical intervention should be on the list of operations in which the clinic specializes.
At the very least, you need to check whether the doctor has a higher medical education diploma, the level of training and qualifications. Then, study the surgeon’s work in detail, because each specialist has his own handwriting. The most accessible way is photos on social networks and on the clinic’s website. The most reliable is a photo in the surgeon’s office, when you are shown the original photos without correction.
Take your time to make a decision, go to consultations with two or even five surgeons to decide your preferences, learn all the features of the procedure and rehabilitation.
This is a completely normal question during a consultation with a plastic surgeon. Although it can be heard infrequently, as patients who come to talk to a doctor are already prepared for surgery and have no doubts. However, a competent surgeon, if he sees that the patient does not need surgery now for some reason, will definitely say so and offer alternatives. For example, he will recommend cosmetic methods to solve the problem, and in some cases he will take a break and think about everything.
Make sure you clarify what restrictions and recommendations exist during the recovery period after surgery so that the procedure is comfortable and you are satisfied with the result. For example, after most plastic surgeries, it is recommended to refrain from physical activity and adhere to bed rest for a certain period of time, as well as to adjust your diet and lifestyle. That is, you will have to take care in advance who will take care of some of your work and household duties so that the recovery is successful and complications do not arise.
Plastic surgery, like any medical procedure, has contraindications. They should be consulted with a doctor so that complications do not arise during or after the procedure and the patient’s health condition does not worsen. A number of factors that may interfere with the operation are identified at the examination stage, using tests. But there are also absolute contraindications to plastic surgery, in the presence of which the operation is impossible. For example, pregnancy and lactation, infectious and oncological diseases, hemophilia (blood coagulation disorders), decompensated diabetes mellitus, chronic pathologies of internal organs.
It is important, during a consultation with a surgeon, to discuss changes in appearance not only at the moment, but also over the years. Firstly, the effect of the operation lasts for a limited time. Therefore, it is important for the patient to understand how his or her appearance will change in the future and what else can be done later to improve the aesthetics of the image. Secondly, it is even recommended to perform several operations together so as not to expose the body to unnecessary anesthesia and recovery period. For example, you can not only do a facelift, but also remove ptosis of the upper eyelids and bags under the eyes. Perform liposuction of the double chin and at the same time remove Bisha’s lumps, which add unwanted volume to the cheeks. Or combine liposuction and lipofilling, when fat deposits are removed from one area of the body (from the sides and abdomen) and transplanted to another (breast and buttocks).
