Be careful of “discounted” cosmetic procedures. While they may be tempting given the economy, AOL’s Stylelist website reports that some cosmetic surgery bargains could be at the cost of safety.
“To get the cost down, they could be cutting back on things like general anesthesia. They make you feel like the procedure must be easier and not so serious if you’re just getting local sedation. Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Long Beach, Calif., plastic surgeon Dr. Marcel Daniels.
Another trend that’s led to discounted cosmetic surgery is that doctors who studied a different branch of medicine are performing plastic surgery procedures, according to Stylelist. Because patients must pay in full, these doctors don’t have to deal with health insurance and hiring staff to process billing and claims.
“Many physicians not trained as plastic surgeons can legally perform a surgical procedure in their office. These people often claim that they can do the same procedure as a plastic surgeon under local anesthesia and may even claim they are more scientifically advanced,” says Dr. John Anastasatos, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. “The truth is that they don’t have surgical privileges at hospitals and surgery centers because they simply are not surgeons and never trained as surgeons.”
To ensure you have a qualified cosmetic surgeon, consumers should:
- Research your doctor to make sure he or she has plastic surgery training
- Ask to see before-and-after photos of their actual patients
Dr. Heffernan is an opthalmic plastic surgeon in Seattle whose credentials include fellowships in Oculoplastic Surgery and Facial Cosmetic Surgery at Louisiana State University Eye Center and Oculoplastic Surgery at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine. He specializes in cosmetic surgery related to the eyes, including eyelid and brow surgery.
To read the full article, visit Stylelist.com. (Photo by Aaron Gruenert, courtesy of Stylelist.com)
