Plastic surgery is a cosmetic surgery where skin from one tissue abundant area of the body is removed (for example, your thighs) and grafted on some damaged or disfigured area of the body needing some cosmetic touch.
It is technically regarded as an organ transplant as skin is considered to be an organ. Plastic surgery is common among burn victims. It is necessary to be aware of various points related to the surgery before getting it done. Don’t hesitate to ask the following very important questions to your plastic surgeon:
Local or General Sedation
Any surgical operation is performed either by the process of general sedation (where the patient is sedated completely and he is unconscious) or local sedation (where only the area of operation is sedated so that the patient can’t feel any pain). It is very important that you are aware of the anesthesia he is going to use on you. It differs from person to person on a need basis.
Ask for Pictures of Past Surgeries.
Remember that plastic surgery is cosmetic surgery and thus it is very important to be pleased with the work the surgeon will perform on your body. You are completely right to ask for pictures of his previous jobs. In case you are dissatisfied with his job try looking for a different plastic surgeon. Try and contact previous patients of the surgeon in order to get direct feedback from them regarding the work that he had performed.
Office or Hospital
A plastic surgeon might suggest that you have the surgery in his office rather than in a hospital. This is prevalent in cases where the surgery involved is not complex and is a rather small one. In case you feel jittery about getting it done in his office, ask for proof of accreditation from the medical board qualifying his office for the surgery. Remember that a hospital is a better choice (and a more expensive one) because of all the added facilities you will get.
Revision Surgery
Plastic surgery can be classified as a form of medical art. As with any form of art, it might require revision and retouching after the whole process is complete. Ensure that you have cleared out the clauses regarding revision surgery with your plastic surgeon. Sticking through with the same surgeon for the initial as well as revision surgery is highly recommended. Also, make sure that you ask him about the costs associated with the revision surgeries in case you need them. Plastic surgery is a costly procedure in itself and the last thing you would want is to be stuck with an unforeseen big bill.
Follow Up Appointments
Follow-up appointments are very necessary as with any surgery. Ensure that you ask your surgeon about his policy and payments for follow-up sessions after the surgery. Don’t ignore it on the grounds that you might not need it.
Plastic surgery shouldn’t be ignored and given any less importance than other surgeries just because it is cosmetic in nature. All precautions common to other surgeries should be undertaken in order to ensure a hassle-free experience.