The Dangers of Some Plastic Surgery “Bargains”
If you’ve ever seen billboards or ads for discounted plastic surgery, beware, it may be too good to be true, according to a recent posting on AOL’s Stylelist website.
Some of these “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 Dr. Marcel Daniels, a plastic surgeon in Long Beach, Calif.
Another thing to watch out for is doctors who studied a different branch of medicine, such as gynecology, who perform plastic surgery procedures, according to the article.
Dr. John Anastasatos, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, explains: “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. 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.”
You can avoid these plastic surgery pitfalls by researching your doctor to make sure he or she has plastic surgery training. Consumers can check any doctor’s board certification at the American Board of Plastic Surgery website. The article also recommends asking the doctor to see before-and-after photos; if they don’t have any, it’s a red flag.
Dr. Kim is double-board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by the American Board of Surgery; and she is a diplomate of American Board of Plastic Surgery.
“‘Free’ Plastic Surgery: The Dangers of Bargain Breasts and Botox” is available on Styleist.com. (Photo by Aaron Gruenert, courtesy of Stylelist.com)