THE INDIVIDUALITY OF THE PLASTIC SURGEON

From wrinkles on the forehead to the tips of the unsightly toes, there is a plastic surgery procedure – whether cosmetic or reconstructive – that can literally change any aspect of a body.  Procedures exist to change the shape of the face or the body, to reverse the signs of aging, and to alter a person’s weight. 

And it is true that even though plastic surgery has been around for thousands of years (mainly to repair injuries), in recent years, it has become very common, both due to the huge advances in the field, but also because a lot of people are not happy with their appearance.  Information on each procedure, the expected outcome, possible side effects, down time, duration of procedure, anesthesia suggested, the steps followed, etc., can be found by a simple web search. 

There is a plethora of information that may be used for guidance … but the key player is one and only: the plastic surgeon. There are 6-7000 plastic surgeons in the US alone, and if other related specialties, which focus on plastic procedures, are included, then the number skyrockets to 60,000.  Could they all be the same?  Do they all perform the cosmetic procedures identically? The answer is simply: NO.

The procedures may be common, the steps followed the same, but the knowledge, the experience, and the personal tricks-of-the-trade developed over time, of each surgeon differ.  Therefore, when you do visit a website for information, make sure you also visit with the plastic surgeon and see what “aces” they have up their sleeves. Most of the times, they have special skills or “secrets” that will not show up in a website, purely so that they may not be copied or replicated, but which give the surgeons the personal touch and the uniqueness they possess. Nonetheless, they are the ones qualified to tell you what your options are, whether you are a good candidate for a particular surgery, and ultimately give you the possible realistic expectations. 

Finally, it is very important to take into consideration the individuality of the surgeon, his personality, his attention to detail, his finesse, his artistic capabilities and tendencies … because after all, plastic surgery is a form of art; only the medium is YOU!