Eyelid Surgery

How Do You Choose A Good Cosmetic Surgeon?

Choosing a cosmetic surgeon is all about finding the right surgeon for the procedure. Having any kind of surgery is serious, including cosmetic surgery. You may feel a little overwhelmed at the amount of information available as you begin to research your options. A good place to start is with a physician who specializes full time in cosmetic surgery (some do ordinary injury and surgical care as well). The following list will help you make an informed decision about who will perform your blepharoplasty:

• Research the doctor’s qualifications and his or her surgical experience. Ask about training and educational background.
• Contact the physician’s office and speak with a nurse to obtain pertinent information about the practice and the physician.
• Ask questions that are “procedure specific.” For example, ask the physician how many eyelid surgeries he or she has performed. You can even go one step further by asking how many eyelid surgeries he or she has performed on someone your age or skin coloring, etc.
• Ask if the physician has completed residency in a specialty related to cosmetic surgery.
• Ask about the physician’s hospital privileges, such as the hospital where he or she admits patients and the type of privileges. Hospitals also monitor physician qualifications, and your cosmetic surgeon should have privileges for eyelid surgery.
• Contact your local medical society or your local hospitals for names of board certified or board eligible plastic surgeons. After obtaining these names, check each doctor’s credentials. You can do this by contacting the local or state medical society or The American Society of Plastic Surgeons at 1-800-766-4955.