Virginia Center for Plastic Surgery

Her surgeon, Jan Adams, was not board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, nor was he a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. This highlights the fact that just because someone is on TV, or is in a magazine, does not mean that they are a good surgeon or that the place where your surgery takes place is a safe facility. Take a look at 15 steps to take before your consultation.

There is heightened awareness that plastic surgery procedures are available to most people these days. However, no surgery is without risk. When procedures are combined, risks increase. Factors that need to be taken into account for considering any surgery, but particularly for combined surgeries include: overall medical condition of the patient in combination with the amount of blood loss, the amount of fluid shifts related to surgery (particularly important in liposuction and abdominoplasty), the amount of anesthesia, the length of the procedures, the type of anesthesia, and the risk/preventative measures for deep vein thrombosis.

Just last week, a patient came in desiring liposuction to areas of her lower body, a tummy tuck, a breast lift, some facial work, and arm liposuction. In my opinion, this was too much surgery for one session. We discussed the things that were bothering her the most, and then formulated a surgical plan that divided all of these procedures into several combined sessions.

So when I talk about common sense and plastic surgery, there are several main themes that I come back to:

1. You have to have realistic expectations for results.
2. You have to do procedures in multiple stages when safety issues dictate this
3. You can't get something for nothing - meaning that to a certain degree, in order to obtain substantial long term results, there needs to be substantial changes to your tissues and that there are no quick, easy fixes (think Thermage.)

So please, do your homework; ask questions of your prospective surgeon before you even set foot in his office as well as a lot of questions during your consultation.

Labels: Donda West, Jan Adams, Plastic surgery death