5 Ways to Tell if Your Plastic Surgeon Isn’t Right For You

Posted on January 9, 2013 by: Dr. Ronald DeMars

Deciding to have plastic surgery is a big decision. Deciding who performs the surgery equally as big and extremely important. There are several things to look for and keep in mind while researching doctors and meeting them and their staff during a consultation. Here are five ways to know if a doctor is not a good doctor for you.

  • He/she is not board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
    There are many other “board certifications” out there and they are not all equal. You must insist on a doctor that is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. You can learn more about what that certification entails and confirm if your surgeon is certified by visiting the American Board of Plastic Surgery’s website.
  • The doctor does not meet with you personally on your first visit
    A good doctor will make sure to see you on your first visit to his/her office. Unfortunately, several doctors have their patients meet with a nurse instead. If the doctor doesn’t care enough about you to personally talk with you during that first trip to his/her office, the doctor likely will not care about you enough, period.He/she does not carefully answer all of your questionsIs your doctor evading any questions, rushing through answers, or speeding through your consultation? If so, this doctor is not the right fit for you. Only go with a doctor who cares enough to make sure that you’ve asked every question on your mind and who takes the time to make sure you understand each of his/her answers.
  • You have not seen or heard reviews from past patients
    Hearing about pleasant experiences of past patients is important. If there are no (or only negative) reviews about the doctor online, or you have not heard recommendations about him/her from friends, this is a big warning sign. If you do not personally know any of his or her past patients, try looking for testimonials about the doctor on his or her site, but more importantly on sites like Google Reviews, Yelp and RealSelf.
  • You don’t feel completely comfortable with the doctor
    After meeting the doctor, ask yourself, “Am I comfortable with him/her?”  You are going to develop a relationship with that person and be seeing him/her for awhile, so make sure you are comfortable seeing the doctor multiple times and follow your gut instinct. If you don’t feel completely comfortable or don’t completely trust him/her, it’s not the right fit.

If you have any questions feel free to call Dr. DeMars’ office at 503-253-3458 or visit www.drdemarsmd.com.