7 Safety Guidelines for the Cosmetic Surgery Patient

Published December 14, 2009 by Dr. Mark Mandell-Brown

The Health writers at CNN recently compiled a list of useful guidelines that cosmetic surgery patients should use to protect their safety. Though we’ve organized them into a shorter format for easy reference, you should read the whole story on CNN.com

Do….

• Investigate the procedure of interest.

Though your cosmetic surgeon should be a trustworthy, knowledgeable authority, you still need to seek out more than one resource for information. Research will help you protect yourself and help you decide if cosmetic surgery is truly in line with your personal values.

• Ask your surgeon about board certification.

Find out what board has certified your surgeon and what standards must be met to receive that certification.

• Find out if your surgeon has a prevention plan for DVT.

Deep vein thrombosis is a possible complication. Your plastic surgeon should take steps to minimize the risk and be prepared to see early signs of its occurrence.

• Ask about your surgeon’s experience with the procedure and if he or she has hospital privileges.

A good surgeon will have absolutely no qualms about sharing his or her experience and credentials.

• Inquire about the certification and safety of the facility.

If the surgery is done in an outpatient clinic, ask about accreditation of the facility. As Tulsa cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angelo Cuzalina recommends, go “to a clinic that’s been accredited by a group such as the Joint Commission or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.”

Don’t…….

• Seek out unapproved medical procedures.

According to sources for CNN, Argentine beauty queen Solange Magnano requested silicone injections for a buttock augmentation, a procedure that is not approved here in the U.S. or in Argentina. In most cases, you should assume that such procedures are restricted for a good reason.

• Take the process lightly.

When you walk into a cosmetic surgeon’s office, it may not “feel” like a hospital, but it’s definitely not a spa. Real surgeries are performed in your surgeon’s outpatient suite, with real risks.