Questions to Ask before Having Breast Implant Surgery

If you’ve been contemplating undergoing breast augmentation, there are many important questions you should have answered prior to the procedure. One of the best ways to get all the information you need is to consult with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. Questions should cover a few main areas – what to look for in the right plastic surgeon, knowing the operation, learning about implants, and understanding expectations and results.

 

The Right Plastic Surgeon

Foremost in any cosmetic surgery is choosing the right plastic surgeon to perform the procedure. Understanding the surgeon’s qualifications and experience is crucial. Some basic information you should know are:

• is the surgeon board certified
• the years of experience with breast augmentation surgery
• the number of breast implant surgeries performed and how much it contributes to his overall practice
• see past patient results by reviewing before and after photos (the surgeon’s website photo gallery is a good resource for this)
• surgeon and staff patient care and approach

The surgeon you decide on should make you feel comfortable and at ease with going through the procedure. Additionally, the surgeon should be able to discuss with you if you are a good candidate for breast augmentation, the implant options, expected results and long term expectations.

 

Breast Augmentation Expectations

Ask questions so that you have realistic expectations on your breast enhancement results. You should have a clear understanding of the implants that will be used (silicone or saline), why the implant type is recommended, the complications and risks, and likelihood for re-operation. Some other important information you need to are if your breast augmentation would impact breast cancer detection, change your breast appearance due to pregnancy, and affect your ability to breastfeed.

 

The Operation

Understand everything about the procedure before and post operation so that you can be best prepared. A few key things to know include what you’d need to do to prepare yourself before the surgery, where the operation would be performed (hospital or surgical center), expected recovery time, post operation visits, as well as cost and finance options.

 

Need a list of questions to ask during consultation? The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) are a couple of good references.