If you're considering plastic surgery then you'll need to ask yourself if cosmetic plastic surgery is even right for me? The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery have a great set of questions that may help you figure out if you’re really ready for plastic surgery:
Perhaps the most important step when researching your surgeon. Australian Plastic Surgeons are board certified and have the following qualifications:- MBBS FRACS (Plastic Surgery) - MBBS FRACS stands for Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. FRACS stands for Fellow of The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and only FRACS surgeons can call themselves the official title of SPECIALIST PLASTIC SURGEON. Make sure your surgeon has this title!!
You can check your surgeon's credentials via AHPRA (Australia's Health Practitioner Regulator) as not all cosmetic surgeons are Specialist Plastic Surgeons! In Australian even GPs are legally able to perform invasive surgical procedures like breast augmentation surgery. Your Specialist Plastic Surgeon should be registered with the medical board of Australia and their registration status should reflect that of a SPECIALIST PLASTIC SURGEON.
Look for professional memberships and endorsements by official organisations such as The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, The Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons ASAPS . Qualifications gained via the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons can also help to confirm a surgeon has the appropriate level of experience, training and qualifications to perform cosmetic plastic surgery.
Experienced cosmetic plastic surgeons perform cosmetic plastic surgery on a regular basis. Ask about your surgeon’s experience with the procedure being considered and be sure to look at a range of before and after photos online and in clinic.
Selecting a Specialist Plastic Surgeon means that your surgeon abides by a code of ethics and rules relating to how and where they perform surgery. Specialist Plastic Surgeons will only operate in accredited facilities licensed by Queensland Health. They operate alongside qualified Specialist Anaesthetists delivering anaesthetists.
Every hospital board carefully reviews and evaluates the credentials of a surgeon including their training and competency before allowing them to operate at their hospital. Ask your surgeon where he/she operates? Large hospitals such as The Wesley Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and many other hospitals will only grant admitting and operating privileges to surgeons who have specialist qualifications.
Your consultation is an important part of determining your suitability and safety for a surgical procedure. Phone or video consultations should never be a substitute for an actual clinical consultation by your plastic surgeon. Your consultation should involve the following components:
You may be required to attend additional consultations and typically Dr Cheng consults and discusses your treatment plan a minimum of 2 times prior to surgery.
Not every patient and every surgeon are made for each other. You need to feel confident and comfortable with your surgeon and good communication is fundamental to your relationship with your surgeon. If you don't feel comfortable raising concerns before surgery it won't get any easier after surgery so keep this in mind when choosing your plastic surgeon.
Recovery and aftercare are just as important as the surgery itself, so make sure you check with your surgeon about their aftercare process. Is your surgeon going to be around to look after you following surgery as you may need their assistance . Good plastic surgeons often provide their personal mobile to their postoperative surgical patients. Dr Cheng likes to keep a close eye on your progress and results so typically you will see him week 1, week 6, 4-6 months and 12 moths after your surgery. Make sure you ask about follow-up visits and how to get in touch with your surgeon should any complications develop post operatively.
Costs for cosmetic plastic surgery vary between surgeons and locations. Often fees are based on 4 key costs including:
Keep in mind techniques, surgical complexity and the length of surgery can impact on the cost of your surgery.
Dr Eddie Cheng is a board certified Specialist Plastic Surgeon in Brisbane, Australia. Socialise with us @arplasticsurgery to learn more about Dr Eddie Cheng and our Team.