10 Steps to Choosing the Right Plastic Surgeon
When the time was right for me to move forward and finally schedule my facelift, choosing a plastic surgeon was the obvious next step. From experience, doing extensive research on the surgeon is vital to making sure you’re in the right (surgical and medical) hands. Let me share with you some of the steps I followed, which led me to VIDA Wellness and Beauty’s chief of surgery and Facelift expert, Dr. Alejandro Quiroz.
Take a look, take some notes, and take action: find the perfect doctor for you!
Step #1: Choose a plastic surgeon. Being a doctor doesn’t equal being trained to perform plastic surgeries, let alone a Facelift. Once you start your search, the first filter must always be having qualified candidates to review: plastic and reconstructive surgeons. That’s it.
Step #2: Make sure that the plastic surgeon you choose is board certified. If you are coming to Tijuana, Mexico make sure the surgeon you are interested in is board certified in Mexico. Apart from being conveniently close to the US border, Dr. Quiroz was one of the top 5 doctors I decided to interview for my facelift. I liked that he is board certified so I knew he had completed the necessary training for plastic surgery.
Step #3: Also, check your surgeon’s medical license, certifications and medical societies memberships. Some of the most prestigious medical societies to look out for are: the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), and the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS). Narrowing down my Facelift surgeon, Dr. Quiroz is a member of all of this as well as the San Diego Plastic Surgery Society (SDPSS). This societies are by invitation only, so there’s no “faking it”. Only the best doctors are entitled to become members here!
Step #4: Check for the facility accreditation. At this point, I knew one thing was certain: I was going to get my surgery in Mexico. How did Dr. Quiroz got to the top of the list? One thing that made me feel reassured was that Cosmed Clinic, VIDA’s surgical facility, is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF).They were the first in Mexico to receive that accreditation!
Step #5: Confirm (and then confirm again) that the plastic surgeon has extensive experience with Facelifts. (Like Dr. Quiroz and his nearly 40 years of experience…)
Step #6: Check the total cost of the Facelift. Make sure you ask for a personalized estimate that has been checked by the plastic surgeon. Being comfortable with the price tag on your procedure is something less you’ll need to worry about. Shout out to Cosmed’s staff who made getting a quote nice and convenient, straight to my email.
Step #7: Get Vectra 3D Imaging. During a consultation at Cosmed with Dr. Quiroz, I got my Vectra done. Oh wow: you get your face measured, pictures taken with special cameras and see a 3D image of what you will look like after getting a Facelift. If there is something that doesn’t feel right, you can discuss with your surgeon, adjust and ensure you’ll get results you’re going to be happy with.
Step #8: Enquire about follow-up care. Make sure your surgeon explains thoroughly how your follow-up care will be handled, pain managing and when can you travel.
Step #9: Check the surgeon’s before and after pictures, past patient experiences and reviews. Does the surgeon achieve consistent natural results? This was the moment when I was 99.9% convinced Dr. Quiroz was THE surgeon for my facelift: he was completely transparent. I was able to see before and after pictures of his patients. Not only that, he encouraged me to go through his RealSelf profile, and read reviews from his patients. I felt reassure by this, especially since RealSelf reviews cannot be modified by doctors or hospitals: it’s all patients!
Step #10: Trust how you feel. My final step was examining the relationship I had developed from my consultations with Dr.Quiroz. It was super important to me to feel comfortable with my surgeon throughout the process. Dr. Quiroz checked all the boxes IMO. He was thorough, patient and gave me real expectations. He never made me feel bad, judged or pressured. This, to me, is priceless: human integrity combined with medical excellence.
Researching any surgeon you would like to work with will not only ensure you get the results you want, but also limit the risk of complications. If you are also ready to schedule your Facelift, call 877-235-1968 or contact Cosmed Clinic at contact@cosmed.com.