How do I choose a plastic surgeon?
Choosing a plastic surgeon is one of the most crucial decisions you have to make when you decide to go under the knife. Your plastic surgeon will not only be your constant companion throughout the process but more importantly, he/she will be responsible for your surgical safety.
To get the best and safest plastic surgery experience, make sure that your plastic surgeon is board-certified.
Who is a “Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon”?
- Completed at least 5 years of surgical training
- Finished at least 2 years of plastic surgery training
- Experienced and trained in all plastic surgery procedures: breast, body, and face
- Fulfills continuing medical education requirements such as patient safety standards and innovations
- Operates only in accredited medical facilities, adhering to a strict code of ethics
- Passed the extensive and written and oral examination conducted by The American Board of Plastic Surgery. Taking 2 years to complete, passing this exam certifies doctors of their sufficient knowledge in treating aesthetic and reconstructive patients with an emphasis on safety and code ethics.
Dr. Roehl always advises patients to seek consultations with at least two doctors. Choose the board-certified plastic surgeon that you are comfortable with to be in full confidence of receiving the best treatment.
Am I a good candidate for plastic surgery?
Ideal candidates for plastic surgery are those who are healthy, have a stable weight, and have no serious medical illness. Good candidates also have realistic expectations about the surgery and its outcomes as well.
Patients with health problems like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure are not good candidates for plastic surgery. Their conditions elevate the possibility of the risks from occurring.
Individuals who smoke and drink constantly are also not good candidates. If ever, Dr. Roehl may ask you to stop drinking and smoking at least a month before the surgery. Doing these promotes better healing.
During your consultation with Memorial Plastic Surgery – Clear Lake, make sure you discuss your health, medical history, and lifestyle in detail with Dr. Roehl – to know if you are truly fit for surgery.
What are the possible risks that may come with plastic surgery?
As with any surgery, plastic surgery procedures come with risks and complications. Invasive or not, the chances of these from occurring depends on the part of the body treated, the extent of the procedure, your health condition, and the skills of the surgeon.
Bleeding
Along with incisions is bleeding. Dr. Roehl carefully cauterizes your blood vessels to control the bleeding during your surgery. However, postoperative bleeding can still be a problem for many patients. It may result in hematoma – the collection of blood under the skin of the treated part of the body. The chances of hematoma increase if you have elevated heart rate and blood pressure or if you took blood thinners prior to the procedure.
Infection
To prevent infection, Memorial Plastic Surgery – Clear Lake administers a dose of antibiotics via IV before surgery. Extra precaution is also observed by cleansing the skin with an antiseptic (betadine or chlorhexidine). Depending on the surgery, our surgeon also prescribes postoperative antibiotics to stop the infection from occurring.
Scarring
Scarring is inevitable for procedures that involve making incisions on the body. Nonetheless, Dr. Roehl does her best in keeping the scars as small as possible and hidden from plain sight. In addition, patients also undergo aggressive scar therapy 2 weeks after any procedure to erase the marks.
How do I prepare my body for plastic surgery?
It is normal to feel anxious days before the surgery. Preparing your body and mind for your surgery can help in reducing anxiety. List questions you may have in mind so that Dr. Roehl and her staff can answer generously for your peace of mind.
Keeping your body healthy prior to your surgery is vital in having a smooth-sailing procedure and recovery. If you are not in your best shape, make sure to exert effort in reaching your ideal health.
Diet
To speed up healing, it is high time to change your diet and stick with foods filled with protein and fiber, consuming less junk food and processed goods. Many women take this opportunity as starting anew in terms of cleansing the body. Coupled with a regular exercise routine, this also helps in metabolizing anesthesia drugs and in achieving the best results.
Smoking
Dr. Roehl always advises that smoking should be stopped at least a month before the surgery. Proven by hundreds of research and studies, cigarette smoking poses a higher risk and complication for patients of any procedure. It impairs the healing of skin, bone, and body tissue wounds. The nicotine content of cigarettes negatively affects the blood flow, thus the skin on the site of surgery has lower chances of healing fully. Compared to non-smokers, smokers also have an increased risk of infection, longer recovery period, the opening of scars, and bad scarring,
Medications
Before any surgery, Dr. Roehl asks patients the list of medications they are currently taking. Since it may have side effects like bleeding, it is essential to tell everything – including over-the-counter drugs and herbal supplements. In return, our surgeon gives a list of medications you should not take such as aspirin, Advil, Coumadin, ibuprofen, and heparin.
What do I need to expect after plastic surgery?
As much as Dr. Roehl minimizes pain and discomfort, you should expect to experience them after surgery. If necessary, our surgeon provides additional local anesthesia injections and nerve blocks. Pain medication is also prescribed and should be used if needed. But if the pain proves to be difficult to control, Dr. Roehl schedules the administration (once every 4 hours for a whole day) – allowing the meds to build up in your system and work more effectively.
Nausea caused by anesthesia and/or pain medications can also be controlled by medications. As soon as you stop taking pain medications, the chances of you feeling nauseated lowers. Dr. Roehl allows patients to switch to Advil or ibuprofen immediately after the procedure to reduce pain.
What can I expect during the follow up after surgery?
Follow-up meetings are important for Dr. Roehl, and it should be your priority, too. It does not only reassure you that the procedure gave you the best results but follow-ups also serve as early detection of possible complications. Dr. Roehl does follow-ups for 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after the surgery.
