I’m happy to say that I can answer that Google query.
Finding the aesthetic plastic surgeon that is right for you can seem pretty daunting. All the flashy websites and reviews make it seem like everybody can do everything very, very well. So, how do you pick?
Here are seven tips for choosing the right doctor for you.
1: Talk to your friends
You do it for restaurants, and movies, and cars. Why not for your surgeon? A good (or bad) review from somebody you know and trust goes a LONG way.
2: Take those online reviews with a grain of salt
Reviews can be very helpful. Or not. A small handful of ALL GLOWING reviews are probably cherry-picked by encouraging only the ECSTATIC patients to review on a site. And a solitary review that’s very negative is probably not fully representative of the doctor. On the other hand, dozens of reviews that are either positive or negative are quite telling. Google reviews, RealSelf, Vitals, and Healthgrades are sites I like. Yelp, while popular for searching, filters reviews, and by report of other plastic surgeons, will filter reviews based on whether or not a doctor pays money to Yelp (note: MAE Plastic Surgery does not pay money to Yelp).
3: Check the website
The website is the window into a practice. A website that is well-organized, clean, functional, and educational, says a lot about the practice it represents. On the flip-side, a website that is disorganized and filled with errors also says a lot about the practice it represents.
4: Check the website again, but this time look at the before/after photos
Hopefully you will like what you see (if not, move on). But, are there only a handful of INCREDIBLE results? If so, the doctor probably only picked the best outcomes to show and they aren’t representative of the average results. Look for websites that have LOTS of before and after photos, because this will give you a better sense of what the plastic surgeon can deliver.
5: Check the website YET AGAIN, but this time pay attention to the doctor’s training
Not every plastic surgeon is actually a plastic surgeon. If they are a plastic surgeon, they will specifically mention doing training in a “plastic surgery residency”. Some ENT’s do facial plastic surgery fellowships, and some ophthalmologists do oculoplastic fellowships, and are very well trained. You may also run across “cosmetic fellowships”. “Cosmetic surgeons” are not “plastic surgeons” in the strict sense, and there is no American Board of Cosmetic Surgery that is recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
6: Go for a visit
At some point you will want to meet the doctor. And after your meeting, you will have a general sense of whether or not you want to work with that plastic surgeon. Was the front office staff friendly and helpful? How are the office facilities (does it seem like a legit place or did you go into somebody’s basement/garage for an “injection”… people actually do this and it boggles my mind. Google it). How was the doctor? Good bedside manner? Took time to explain the findings and the treatment approach? Answered your questions? Did you get the feeling that the surgeon could deliver an outcome you would be happy with? Perhaps more importantly, if you were to have a complication (unlikely, but possible), did you get the sense that the doctor would take great care of you and see you through the ordeal? In my opinion, the last question is the most telling of the skill and character of the doctor.
7: Go visit somebody else
And then after you see one plastic surgeon, go see another one to compare. I’m surprised more people don’t do this. If you pick a couch or a car, you sit on more than one couch and test drive more than one car. Do this for your plastic surgeon. You will be amazed at the variety out there. Meet a few to find your “perfect match”.
So, ask your friends about the plastic surgeons in Chicago. Then check out the websites. Then come on in for a visit. If you don’t end up choosing us to be your aesthetic plastic surgeons, we just want you to go to a person that will do a great job and take great care of you.
