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Finding Dr. RightJust because your beautician liked the doctor who did her surgery is not a reason to abandon due diligence when searching for your own cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Raval was interviewed on Channel 9 TV Colorado & Company in January on How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon. Patient Susana Wilson appeared with the doctor to tell of her own experience of picking the wrong plastic surgeon before finding Dr. Raval to perform revision surgery to correct unsightly scaring. After one initial neck lift and blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) plus one revision surgery and an in-office scar revision, Wilson had lost confidence in the surgeon who was treating her. "I was also getting frustrated because I felt as though he was just not listening to my concerns. So I decided to seek other opinions," Wilson told audiences. The second time, Wilson met with five different surgeons before making her decision to go with Dr. Raval. The reasons she chose him, she explained, included the fact that Dr. Raval gave her enough time to explain her situation and what she wanted, plus, she said, "He listened and heard me. His ego was in check and our appointments were about me. He agreed that I was not being hysterical and that something did go wrong with the previous surgeries. He didn't soft-peddle the possibility of nerve damage, especially in the chin area, after two surgeries and a scar revision. He only worked on the face and neck, a big plus. He was double board certified. He was young enough to be fully trained on the latest procedures and at the same time had performed a good number of similar surgeries already. And, we clicked." "Checking for board certification is a good place to start," said Dr. Raval. "But board certification only means that a governing board somewhere has determined that a surgeon is competent because he or she has passed an exam. Being competent doesn't necessarily mean being good. Being a good surgeon just like any skill requires a certain amount of innate ability. For instance, I could play golf eight hours a day seven days a week but I will never be good enough to beat Tiger Woods. The same goes for surgery. Some surgeons have a unique ability and some don't. When weighing whether a surgeon is right for you or not, a surgeon should be able to show you how good he or she is by producing many before and after photos of the procedure you are interested in. Plus, he or she should be able to refer three or more patients who've undergone a similar procedure, references who will talk with you candidly about their experience." Wilson's advice to people considering cosmetic surgery is:
One more thing, cautioned Dr. Raval, "You have to like your doctor as a person because less than favorable outcomes and complications can happen to all of us-not very often, but they can happen. If your doctor is arrogant or non-caring, he or she will not be there for you or listen to your concerns post operatively."
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