The Importance of Research before Undergoing Cosmetic Surgery

Are you looking to improve your physical appearance through cosmetic surgery but haven't started the research? Not to worry, we have many high level posts on various cosmetic and plastic surgery topics to help you on this task. Below we will touch on some general considerations to get you started and it will overlap with other posts in case you don't see them.

Cosmetic surgery is evolving and growing more sophisticated each day. In general most people find cosmetic surgery to be a relatively easy and convenient way to remove excess fat or excessive skin from their body, get a tattoo removed, or attempt slow the signs of aging.

While this is certainly true, the decision to undergo cosmetic surgery is a huge decision that shouldn't be made on a whim. There are a lot of things to consider and research to be done before you set your heart on undergoing a procedure. While this sounds like common sense, you'd be surprised!

One of the many reasons why it's important to first research cosmetic surgery is to help you know what to expect, what the recovery process will be like, and what you'll need to do.

While you may already know what you want the end result to be, it's important to know how you will best achieve those results.

Therefore, you should never have a surgical procedure done without first knowing exactly what the full journey entails. For example, will you need to come back for a post op recovery checkup or for additional work? These are questions that should be answered up front to best set expectations.

We advise reviewing a step-by-step procedure guide along with post-operative recovery instructions like those found in our HealFast Recovery ebook which contains additional information and questions you should ask and know before going under the knife.

Your cosmetic surgeon will provide you with strict recovery instructions, but you should research and determine if you can follow the directions given your lifestyle, home set up, and commitments.

You should strive to be able to since they will have a significant impact on your ongoing post-operative health.

But every patient is different and faces unique circumstances that might prevent them from following the instructions to the letter and thus can inadvertently hurt their recovery trajectory.

Read More: How To Combat Skin Aging

As a simple example, if you don’t properly care for your skin you can develop a skin infection following your surgery.

In addition, research can shed light on the costs of the surgical procedure and whether insurance will cover it.

Unfortunately, cosmetic surgery can be costly and is often not covered by mainstream insurance if it is deemed optional.

Thus, if you don’t have the needed funds right now, you can get an idea as to how much money you will need to save or seek payment or other financing plans that have become more available. That said, if you also have some flexibility, rates can/do change overtime and during certain points of the year.

Lastly, your research can she light on what the end results of your cosmetic surgery may be like.

If you are looking to undergo cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin after significant weight loss, you likely know what you want to look like. Examining the before and after pictures of previous patients is a great way to get a good idea of what to expect.

Of course, you want to look your best, but it is important that you have ideal, realistic expectations. This is important as it can help with setting realistic baselines and expectations to help you during the rollercoaster of post-surgery recovery.

Review the images on your selected physician's website, ensuring the images don't appear doctored or the lighting and angles are too far off to ensure a good comparison. Make sure that your desired doctor actually performed the surgeries in the pictures you are reviewing and they are not generic or from another surgery center location.

Lastly, getting a referral from a trusted doctor or friend/contact that has undergone a similar procedure is always a good place to start and help set expectations.

So where do you get started (aside from the internet)?

For starters, visit one of your cosmetic surgery centers. They should have pamphlets and other brochures for you to examine. You may also want to set up a consultation appointment. No work will be done, but you can learn about the procedure firsthand and likely from the doctor who will be performing it.

Another approach is to directly visit the online websites of trusted medical companies, like WebMD. When doing so, you know that you are getting accurate and up-to-date information. You can also use the internet to research cosmetic surgery, namely the specific procedure you are looking to undergo.

Remember - the more research you perform the better the overall experience and outcome will be when it's all said and done. Good luck on your journey!