FAQ: Choosing A Surgeon
1. Should I Base My Decision on the Cost of Liposuction?
Decisions about liposuction should not be based solely on the cost of liposuction. The cheapest procedure might mean that the surgeon does the procedure quickly and incompletely. Liposuction is a hand-crafted art form. Would you base a decision to buy a painting on its price or on the aesthetic judgment and skill of the artist? It is more reasonable to base your decision about liposuction on the surgeon's reputation, the surgeon's apparent skill, the surgeon's experience and the surgeon's ability to communicate with you in a manner that is professional, sincere, comfortable, and unhurried. Five years after your liposuction, you will probably not remember the exact amount you paid for the surgery, but you will aware of the quality of the results for the rest of your life. The most common source of disappointment following liposuction is dissatisfaction with the degree of improvement ("it looks as if nothing was done") or unhappiness with uneven lumpy-bumpy results. The liposuction cost should not be the main basis for your choice of surgeon. Do not put your body on the bargain rack.
2. What Questions Should I Ask?
You should feel free to ask any question you have about liposuction. In fact, it is the patient's responsibility to make sure that all important questions have been asked and answered before making any final decisions about having liposuction. A liposuction surgeon or the surgeon's staff should be willing to discuss and attempt to answer any question you have about liposuction. Do not feel embarrassed to ask difficult questions about the surgeon or about liposuction. You can find a comprehensive list of questions you might want to consider by clicking on Choosing a Surgeon page.
3. Can I Ask the Surgeon Any Questions I Want?
Yes. Feel free to ask any question you want. Do not feel intimidated, but be polite. Every responsible liposuction surgeon wants patients to have realistic expectations. The only way you and the surgeon can be reasonably certain that your expectations are realistic is for you to make every effort to have all your questions answered.
4. When Do I Have To Make My Decision?
Do not feel pressured to make a decision about having liposuction. Your initial consultation with a surgeon should be regarded as an opportunity to gather all the information that you will need to make a reasonable decision about liposuction. If after your first consultation, you have some new questions, or if you feel the need for further clarifications, you should return to see the surgeon for a second consultation.
5. Will The Surgeon Answer All My Questions Before I Make a Decision?
The surgeon ought to answer all of your questions before you make your decision to have liposuction. Every ethical liposuction surgeon will want to be certain that you feel comfortable about having enough information to make a well-informed decision. Often the surgeon and the surgeon's staff will act as a team during your consultations, and together they should be able to answer every one of your important questions about liposuction. Be wary of a surgeon who is evasive in answering your questions. If a surgeon is not willing or is not able to answer your questions before liposuction surgery, then it is possible that any questions or problems you encounter after surgery will not be adequately addressed.
6. Can Liposuction Advertisements be Trusted?
Advertisements for cosmetic surgery have two purposes. First, an advertisement should inform prospective patients about the location of the surgeon and about the availability of the surgeon's cosmetic surgical procedures. Unless patients know about and can find a surgeon, the world's best liposuction surgeon with the safest surgical technique might have very few patients. Second, a cosmetic surgery advertisement is intended to sell you a service. You can often use such ads to judge the quality and honesty of the surgeon by critically judging the professionalism of a cosmetic surgery advertisement. Be wary of ads that use unqualified superlatives. Finally, don't expect liposuction ads to inform you of every possible risk of liposuction. Information about the risks and complications of liposuction should be obtained from the surgeon during the in-person consultation and by reading information in publications and on the internet as you are doing now. Surgeons who advertise may be the world's best, but unqualified surgeons may also advertise.