Aesthetic surgery is a decision whose result you will carry for years. The questions below tell you about both competence and the way a surgeon works. An answer that causes irritation is as informative as the answer itself.
1. Are you a plastic surgery specialist?
In Turkey some aesthetic procedures can also be performed by doctors from other specialties. “Aesthetician”, “aesthetic physician” and “plastic surgery specialist” are not the same. You have the right to ask to see the diploma and specialty certificate.
2. How many of these operations do you perform a year?
Experience is less about the total number of operations than about how often that particular one is repeated. Referring a patient elsewhere for a procedure you rarely perform is what a good surgeon does.
3. Where will the operation take place?
Any procedure requiring general anaesthesia must be performed in a fully equipped hospital with intensive care. General anaesthesia is not given in office conditions. Ask too who will give the anaesthetic: a consultant anaesthetist or a technician?
4. What is the limit of what can be achieved in my case?
Not every anatomy allows every result. There is a limit to how refined a nasal tip can be when the skin is thick. A surgeon who explains the limits is reducing the chance you will be disappointed later.
5. What happens if there is a complication?
Every surgeon has complications; anyone who says otherwise has either not operated enough or is not telling the truth. What matters is how a complication is managed, what the revision policy is and how that affects cost. Clarify this before surgery.
6. What will recovery actually be like?
How many days off work, when you can drive, when you can pick up your child: these are not trivial questions. Knowing these details in advance makes recovery far easier.
7. How do I reach you after the operation?
The first week after surgery is when patients have the most questions. Having a direct line to reach is one of the most valuable parts of the whole process.
Bonus: a question you do not need to ask
“Do you offer a guarantee?” Medicine cannot guarantee a result; if somewhere does, that is not a sign of confidence but a warning sign. A guarantee promise in healthcare is also contrary to regulation.
