IS PLASTIC SURGERY SAFE?

For most patients, undergoing a cosmetic surgical procedure is as safe as driving a car or flying on an airplane; however, there are many things to consider when deciding to have a surgery. Firstly, ensure your plastic surgeon is board-certified as a plastic surgeon. 

A board-certified surgeon is qualified to perform the procedures they advertise. It may come as a surprise that the government does not require a surgeon to be specifically trained in the procedures they offer. This problem is quite pervasive in the plastic surgery industry, as many doctors with general surgery or other medical accreditations market themselves as a plastic surgeon in pursuit of greater profits. Do your due-diligence and make sure your surgeon is not only board-certified, but specifically board-certified as a plastic surgeon. 

With roughly 1.8 million cosmetic surgeries performed in 2017(1), an almost negligible percentage resulted in serious injury or death. Most often, when complications arise as a result from a cosmetic surgery, it is due to experimental treatments, error by an inexperienced or unqualified surgeon, or a surgery performed on a suboptimal patient (in terms of health and medical history).

As you select a surgeon, be sure that you divulge all of the details of your health and surgical history. Find a surgeon who doesn’t tell you what you want to hear, but is honest about the specific risks you may face as a result of a cosmetic surgery. Take into serious advisement if and when a surgeon recommends that you not undergo a procedure due to health concerns.