Professional Qualifications



You will want to make sure that the surgeon performing your surgery is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The certification is a good sign that he or she has gone through extra training specifically in the field of aesthetic plastic surgery (aka what you are having). The certification also shows that the surgeon has earned his or her degree from a medical school that is reputable and has completed at least five years of residency in addition to his or her medical school training. Along with this certification, you will want to make sure that the plastic surgeon has privileges to perform your surgery at an accredited hospital. You will also want to be sure that the surgeon you are thinking of hiring has had training in different areas of surgery as well as plastic surgery so that he or she can recognize and deal with any complications that come up.

You might also want to see if he or she is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons because it holds its members to the highest and strictest ethical standards in the Plastic Surgery Field.

Personality of Your Prospective Surgeon

Being able to get along with your doctor is one thing, but being comfortable enough with your doctor to ask them questions and tell them you don't understand something is another. You must feel comfortable enough with your doctor to be able to stop him and ask him questions at any point in the process. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, you need to find another doctor. When you sit down to interview your prospective doctor, make sure that they ask you why you want the surgery, what your expectations are and that they offer you proof of other surgeries they have performed (before and after photos). Be wary of any doctor who tries to gloss over things, doesn't explain things thoroughly or tries to get you to commit to more surgery than you are ready for or tries to convince you that you need a more extensive surgery than you do.

Warning Signs

Do not trust any Dallas liposuction surgeon who doesn't have hospital privileges for the procedure you want to do, isn't certified in plastic surgery, did not complete a residency in plastic surgery, won't answer your questions, is impatient with you or strikes you as arrogant, is unprofessional in any way or pushes you to do more surgeries than you want to. Basically, if something smells funny, move on to the next plastic surgeon on your list. Surgeries can be complicated and you want to make sure that you are working with someone that you can trust.