Questions You Must Ask Your Plastic Surgeon Before A Dermal Filler Procedure

Demand for plastic surgery procedures grew by 115 percent between 2000 and 2016. As popularity grows, information is very critical for safety. If you choose dermal fillers to plump up your skin, fill out deep lines or smooth wrinkles, here are key questions to ask your doctor before you proceed:

Are You Certified?

The first and most important decision before you go for dermal fillers is finding a professional, experienced plastic surgeon. Ensure your doctor is certified by the America Board of Plastic Surgeons, ABPS. Choosing a member of other recognized professional bodies such as American Society of Plastic Surgeons is an added advantaged as membership is only for highly-trained ABPS-certified surgeons.

What is Your Level of Experience?

Do not be afraid to ask your doctor if he or she was trained specifically in the field of plastic surgery. Ask about their years of practice, success rate, and failures or any cases under investigation with the medical board. Remember to check their reviews online.

Where Will You Perform The Procedure?

A plastic surgeon's relationship with other physicians and hospitals says a lot about their professionalism. Ask your doctor if he has any hospital privileges to perform the procedure and which hospitals. If he will carry out the procedure in his office surgical facility, check if it is accredited by any national or state accrediting agency. A state license and Medicare certification are also good indicators of how legit a medical facility is.

How Do You Handle Complications?

Like Botox, a dermal filler, or a facelift, any cosmetic procedure can go wrong. While there are legal grounds to sue in case of negligence, misleading information or lack of proper aftercare, it is good to be safe from the onset. Understand what you are paying for, what your doctor is committing to, and what his or her responsibility is should he or she not meet their end of the bargain. Your doctor should also advise you accordingly on how to prepare for the procedure, and give you aftercare instructions on how to deal with skin redness, tenderness, swelling or itching should they occur.

What Are My Options if I am Dissatisfied?

Find out how your plastic surgeon has dealt with unhappy clients before. While you may not get a refund if you are not satisfied with your dermal fillers results, a good doctor will be willing to listen to your concerns and work with you to make it right. Some doctors may not charge for a revision procedure but may charge you a facility fee which means more cost. Having as much information as you can get helps your level of preparedness at every stage of the procedure.

Different types of dermal fillers are better suited for various facial cases. Work with a plastic surgeon you can trust to understand what serves your needs best.