How To Get Unbiased Answers to Your Plastic Surgery Questions
Closed Published by newseditor December 21st, 2009 in SafetyMaking a good decision about plastic surgery depends on having all the necessary information. So before you get that long-awaited breast augmentation, tummy tuck or laser treatment, 
you need to get all the facts.
Why should I research my procedure?
1. You can discover which surgeries are consistently satisfying and which are not.
2. You find out if plastic surgery is truly a good fit for you by comparing the risks and benefits with your personal values and goals.
People are often looking in the wrong places for legitimate answers to their plastic surgery questions. It’s best to get scientific and objective information from authoritative sources.
Take the scholarly approach
Visit your local Fairfax public library or better yet – your university library. The academic resources and peer-reviewed medical journals you’ll find are going to have real data on surgery complications, rates of patient satisfaction, and other crucial info.
The drawback: many of these articles and books will be written in a style that only doctors and med students understand – you might find that extremely boring.
Browse the right websites
Yes, it really is a jungle out there, but there are a few sites that publish honest, useful information about plastic and cosmetic surgery. RealSelf.com is a great start; Dr. Hess is very active on that forum. Yourplasticsurgeryguide.com is another popular resource.
The drawback: You find a great deal of conflicting (and sometimes vague) information, sometimes making your decision more difficult.
Ask plastic surgeons in your area
Visit a few before making a choice and know that board-certified plastic surgeons should be looking out for your wellbeing. They don’t want you to have a bad experience; they want to get you the best possible results and avoid complications. If a procedure would put you at risk, a good surgeon will tell you honestly.
Email Dr. Hess if you need to.
The drawback: A plastic surgeon can tell you if you’re a suitable candidate, but only you can decide if surgery is in line with your personal values.
