It’s natural to want the best, especially when it comes to something as important as your health. But unless you can define ‘the best’, it will be hard to recognize it when you find it. There are several criteria to look for in a surgeon, but perhaps the two most important are the quality of the consultation process and the technical skill of the surgeon. Breast augmentation, also known as breast implant surgery, is a good example of surgery that can be mastered by even an average plastic surgeon. Creating a pocket and putting in an implant is not a difficult procedure, and so it is the consultation process that…

Why should you see a surgeon who charges a consultation fee when some surgeons give free consultations? Your consultation is the most important step in having a successful surgery experience. If you see a surgeon who doesn’t charge a consultation fee, the consultation becomes primarily a screening process for finding candidates for plastic surgery Toronto. As a result, if you are not someone who is a good candidate, you can count on a quick ending to your consultation. More importantly, the surgeon may become financially biased towards talking you (and himself) into your suitability for surgery, and receives no reward for reassuring you that surgery is unnecessary, or advising you…

The effectiveness of Botox depends on many factors, and you should consider more than the cost of the Botox in choosing a clinician.  Cost per unit of Botox is a good starting point in comparing prices.  $12 per unit may prove cheaper than $8 if the same effect can be produced with a lower dose of units.  A practice that uses Botox frequently will have a fresher stock that may be more effective.  Syringes that are designed to minimize loss can make a big difference, especially in small volume injections.  A GP or dermatologist may never have actually seen the muscle they are trying to inject, whereas a Plastic Surgeon will…

Patients often express surprise that they will not require drains after their abdominoplasty/tummy tuck. Although some surgeons continue to use drains, our experience over the past 10 years matches published reports in which drains can be eliminated if certain steps are taken during surgery. Most importantly, we place ‘progressive tension sutures’ to attach the skin back to the muscle layer. Not only does this close the space that would otherwise accumulate blood/fluid, but it allows the final wound edge closure to occur without tension. This helps to prevent the scar from riding up (above the bikini line)after surgery, and may prevent scar problems that arise from excessive tension.

There are few procedures in plastic surgery with more variations than the facelift.  Understanding something about this operation may help you to understand the controversies, and may help you to ask the right questions when you meet with a prospective surgeon. (more…)