Finding a skilled plastic surgeon whom you are comfortable with and understands your needs can take a long time. You first need to identify surgeons in your area, and then meet with each one individually. While everyone is different, most plastic surgery patients seem to be looking for the same type of doctor, according to a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – the official journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
A group of researchers from the Netherlands found that patients typically base their decision on the amount of experience that a surgeon has and whether or not they were referred to them by a general practitioner or a family or friend. How close the surgeon is located to a patient’s home was also important.
“[T]he most preferred clinic would be with a specialist that has over ten years of experience, is recommended by the general practitioner, costs 15 percent less than average, with a travel time between zero and 30 minutes is a local clinic and has an extensive online presentation,” the researchers wrote in their report.
Individuals questioned in the survey said that they were unlikely to base their decisions on information that they read on internet forums. This suggests that in general, potential plastic surgery patients are interested in finding the best resources to help them make an informed decision.
If you’re interested in possibly changing your looks, you should contact a board-certified plastic surgeon. The experienced staff at The Lett Center would be happy to answer any questions that you may have.