Face Lift: Choosing Your Surgeon

So you have decided to have a face lift? Congratulations, because making the decision is the first step in having a youthful facial features again. Now you need to choose your surgeon. The best surgeon will produce the best possible results, with minimal scarring and the smooth facial features you have been dreaming about.

The fist step is getting a few names. If you know others who have had cosmetic procedures, ask them what surgeon or clinic they used. Talk to your general practitioner about plastic surgeons they recommend. Compile a list of recommended surgeons to start with in your search.

So how do you choose your doctor from this list of recommended individuals? The first place to check is with the American Board of Plastic Surgery. You should work with a board certified surgeon. If the doctor is certified, he or she likely also is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. From these groups you can learn the doctor’s credentials and training, such as where the surgeon went to school. Also, check the surgeon’s state medical license, as you want a doctor who is fully licensed.

After eliminated any non-licensed or non-certified surgeons, if there were any on your list, make an appointment with the ones you are still considering. Talk to them about your desire for a face lift. Ask specific questions about the procedure and the recovery, and note how well the doctor answers your questions. While at this initial meeting, inquire about malpractice insurance. Good doctors carry adequate, current malpractice insurance. While you likely will not need to make a claim, you do want to know that you coverage is in place if something happens.

To help narrow down your choices, ask specific questions. For example, ask the doctor how many face lift procedures he or she has performed and what the complication rates are for the procedure. Proceed with caution if the medical practitioner does not know the complication rate or claims that the procedure is “completely safe with no complication risk.” Quality surgeons will openly discuss risks with you.

Make sure you choose a one that has hospital privileges. Even if your surgery will occur outside of the hospital, you want the confidence that you will receive the right care if something happens during the surgery that requires admittance to the hospital.

Once you have chosen two or three doctors you wish to consider, ask to see before and after pictures. Ask for references, and call those references if you are comfortable talking to complete strangers about your upcoming face lift. If he does not have photos or references, choose a different one.

While this may seem like a lot of work to choose a specialist, doing your homework is invaluable when you are choosing a medical practitioner for a face lift. You have to live with the results of your procedure for the rest of your life, so you need to be confident in the skills and talents of the person who performs it.