Safety First: Questions Every Patient Should Ask Before Plastic Surgery

Choosing a plastic surgeon should begin with questions about safety, not aesthetics.

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, I believe patients should spend as much time evaluating qualifications, surgical facilities, and emergency preparedness as they do reviewing before-and-after photos.

Before proceeding with cosmetic surgery, patients should ask whether their surgeon is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, whether the operation will be performed in an accredited facility, who will administer anesthesia, and what protocols exist if complications occur. Patients should also understand how often their surgeon performs the procedure they are considering, what realistic risks and limitations exist, and what postoperative care will look like.

Cosmetic surgery remains real surgery. The best outcomes depend on far more than technical execution alone. Appropriate patient selection, sound surgical judgment, anesthesia safety, accredited operating environments, and attentive postoperative management all contribute to successful results.

This has become increasingly important in an era dominated by aggressive advertising, medical tourism, and highly curated social media content. Online visibility is not the same as surgical training or infrastructure. A consultation should feel educational and transparent rather than transactional.

Patients deserve to fully understand who is performing their surgery, where it is being performed, and what systems are in place to protect them if something unexpected happens.

Ethan J. Baughman, MD, PhD, FACS

Board-Certified Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

FAA Senior Aviation Medical Examiner