Is Cosmetic Surgery Safe?

Nothing is perfectly or completely safe. Undergoing cosmetic surgery presents a small but definite risk. Most problems with cosmetic surgery are not health threatening. For example, delayed or unfavorable wound healing can distract from the short-term pleasure of the result, but does not affect the patient's health. Many of these problems are solved simply by time and patience. There can be serious complications with cosmetic surgery, but fortunately these are extremely rare.

Anyone having cosmetic surgery must have certain laboratory tests before surgery, including an electrocardiogram and chest x-ray, depending on the patient's age and health. If you are considering cosmetic surgery, it is important to be completely honest with your plastic surgeon about your past and current health history and any health problems.

What Facilities are Qualified and Safe?

Choosing a facility is as important as choosing your physician. Is it run by a qualified staff of trained, experienced personnel? Is it certified by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Plastic Surgery Facilities? Is it a facility which can offer you privacy? It is often helpful to visit the surgical facility to do a visual inspection. Find out from the surgical facility you are considering just what type of anesthesia is used and who administers it. Anesthesia can be administered in different ways by either doctors, nurses, or office staff. If you want general anesthesia for a certain procedure, for example, you should use a facility certified and approved for the administration of general anesthesia.

Am I a Good Candidate for Plastic Surgery?

The decision to have cosmetic surgery is a very personal decision, not one to be taken lightly. Cosmetic surgery is among the safest surgeries, but there are risks and cautions that should be considered. An in-depth, open consultation between yourself and Dr. Kierney, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, will help you make an informed choice on whether or not cosmetic surgery will give you the results you want, and whether you are a good candidate for the surgery.

As plastic surgeons they will ask very detailed questions about your medical history to help ensure that you are a good candidate physically and that you will be able to handle the surgery and recovery period afterwards.

Just as importantly, there are some questions you must honestly ask yourself. Why do you want the surgery and what are your expectations. Are you a perfectionist? You will be most satisfied if your expectations are realistic and you are prepared both physically and emotionally. Even the most talented and gifted plastic surgeons cannot provide an exceptional result if your expectations are unrealistic. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A surgeon works with living tissue and its many variables including general health, bone structure, quality of the skin, age, and even genetic or ethnic factors. Cosmetic surgery can improve certain body features that you are unhappy with or that you are self-conscious about, but you should not expect the surgery to bring about significant life changes or dramatic changes in your personal relationships. Although cosmetic surgery can often boost self-esteem and self-confidence, these changes should be done to improve yourself and not to ensure the happiness of others around you.

How Should I Choose a Plastic Surgeon?

In considering cosmetic surgery, the most important factor in the success of your surgery is the surgeon you choose. It is easy to find names of surgeons through medical or specialized directories, the yellow pages, and the medical staff offices of hospitals in your community, but how do you know which surgeon is the best choice for you?

The best homework you could do in choosing a doctor is checking on his credentials. Although successful surgery can never be absolutely guaranteed no matter what the credentials, experience or talent of the surgeon, and good credentials can greatly increase your odds.

It may surprise you to know that there is no law requiring doctors to keep certain
qualifications with regard to specialty care. Anyone with a medical degree is legally able to call himself a cosmetic surgeon, advertise his services, and perform them. Protect yourself by asking about the doctor's training. Is the surgeon board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery? If the surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, you are ensured that the surgeon has graduated from an accredited medical school, and that he has completed at least two years of approved residency training in the plastic surgery specialty. Dr. Kierney is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and completed extended training in plastic and cosmetic surgery.

To be fully certified, he must then have practiced plastic surgery for an additional two years, pass comprehensive written and oral examinations, and be judged by his peers to meet the highest ethical standards of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

If the surgery is being performed in the doctor's office or operating room, you should also ask if the doctor has privileges to perform that procedure at an accredited hospital. Hospitals grant privileges based on a doctor's experience and training subject to approval by the other doctors operating out of that hospital. You can call the hospital to confirm this.

What professional societies a surgeon belongs to may also offer some insight. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, or ASPS, requires members to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and be subject to review by their peers. Members are also required to participate in continuing education and adhere to a strict code of ethics.

Finally, meet with prospective surgeons to compare their personalities and the way they answer your questions. Do they explain the risks and benefits involved? You will probably want to compare fees. The Surgeon you choose should always answer all your questions and should welcome inquires about training, expertise, qualifications, and costs. He should not push you into any surgery, but should help you to understand the benefits and risks of surgery to make an informed decision.

What's New in Cosmetic Surgery?

Plastic surgery has been in existence for thousands of years as men and women throughout the ages and throughout the world have sought to make themselves more attractive. The art and science of plastic surgery is fascinating and ever changing as new and better techniques are found.

Skin and facial rejuvenation are increasingly popular, especially with the introduction of lighter, less costly skin peels and the improved results of deeper composite facelift techniques. With the availability of the newer lighter skin peels and injectables such as collagen, Fibrel, and your own fat, immediate results can be seen. You can often go back to work or out for the evening within hours of some of these in-office procedures. People are taking advantage of medical options to combat the signs of aging at earlier ages than ever before, and at more attractive prices.

For more serious signs of aging due to loose, sagging skin and unattractive jowls, composite facelift surgery can offer improved results and a more youthful rejuvenation over the standard
facelift.

With the composite facelift, the skin is not only lifted and tightened as in the standard technique, but the underlying fat is brought up and redraped with the overlying skin, and the muscles under the eye are also lifted to create a more natural and youthful contour. Today's facelift does not look artificial.

With the composite facelift, the surgeon strives to redrape the skin and underlying tissue to create the youthful look your face had in younger years. The composite facelift is considered major surgery and the primary recovery period may take several weeks before you are ready to publicly show off your rejuvenated appearance.

If you wish to wage a battle against the visible signs of aging, you can get good and relatively inexpensive results from the lighter skin peels and injectables to help fill out or minimize small facial lines and uncover your own glowing skin without costly surgeries and
with minimal recovery time.

Will Insurance cover my Surgery?

A well-trained plastic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, is experienced in many areas due to his advanced and specialized training. Plastic surgery may include cosmetic surgery, reconstructive surgery and even microsurgery and surgery of the hand. Plastic surgeons are often consulted as wound care specialists by other doctors in the medical community.

Cosmetic surgery done specifically to improve appearance is generally not covered by insurance. However, surgery done to improve function or restore a more normal appearance due to a defect from disease, injury or a congenital birth deformity may possibly be covered by your insurance policy. Consult your insurance policy or agent about specifics of what may or may not be covered. If the procedure you are considering is reconstructive, our plastic surgery office will work with your insurance company on your behalf to seek authorization for the surgery. The insurance company will ultimately decide whether or not you receive benefits. Some companies may have specific exclusions on surgeries that would be considered for benefits from other companies. Benefits may also be affected by deductibles, co-payments, and co-insurance payments.

Some common reconstructive surgeries for possible insurance reimbursement may include breast reduction, breast reconstruction and mastectomy, cleft lip and palate repair, nose surgery due to breathing difficulties or facial fractures, and reconstruction after trauma such as car accidents.