However, there is a fine line between whether the surgery's prime objective is to improve appearance or to improve function. Contact your insurance company before surgery to determine how it views your particular surgery.

                                     

2. Surgery can be performed in a number of locations, depending on the procedure and what your plastic surgeon regards as appropriate. Generally, aesthetic plastic surgery takes place in a hospital, an outpatient center or your surgeon's office.

                                     

3. In many cases, a local anesthetic will be administered to numb the area to be treated, along with a sedative to relax you. For some aesthetic surgical procedures, however, you will be given general anesthesia so that you sleep through the entire operation.

4. Although some of the procedures appear to be relatively simple operations, it is essential for you to understand that aesthetic plastic surgery, like all surgery, has risks.

Plastic surgeons perform thousands of successful aesthetic procedures each week, but as with any type of surgery, a patient can have complications. These problems can occur even when the surgeon has performed the operation with the utmost skill.

It is important to remember that aesthetic plastic surgery molds and reshapes living tissue, and the results are not absolutely predictable. No surgeon can offer risk free surgery or guarantee a perfect result.

                                     

5. Your plastic surgeon will inform you of any restrictions to your normal activities following surgery. In general, you should avoid strenuous exercise and other activities that raise your blood pressure, for several days to weeks (depending on what type of surgery was performed). It takes time as well for the visible signs of healing to subside. Do not expect to see the final results of your surgery right away. Plan your social activities to allow sufficient time for recovery.

                                     

6. Each patient will tolerate pain in a different way. Some patients may describe the pain as an ache, others experience greater discomfort. Appropriate pain medications are prescribed for the post-operative patients, and these help minimize discomfort.

                                     

7. The length of time it takes to recuperate after plastic surgery varies depending on the procedure performed and the person operated on. Most patients will require assistance for the first two days. Then most patients are able to care for themselves.

                                     

8. The time a patient resumes regular exercises varies based on the operation performed. All patients are encouraged to start a slow walking routine on the second postoperative day. Regular aerobic and more vigorous activities are not allowed during the first 2 weeks in order to decrease the risks of bleeding, swelling, and bruising. Weight lifting and contact sports are allowed at 1 month in most cases.

                                     

9. Cosmetic surgery is performed to reshape normal structures of the body in order to improve the patient's appearance and self-esteem. Cosmetic surgery is usually not covered by health insurance because it is elective.

Reconstructive surgery is performed on abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease. It is generally performed to improve function, but may also be done to approximate a normal appearance. Reconstructive surgery is generally covered by most health insurance policies although coverage for specific procedures and levels of coverage may vary greatly.

                                     

10. In choosing a plastic surgeon, your first goal is to develop a list of good candidates.

If you know someone who's had a procedure like the one you're considering, talk to him or her about it. But don't decide on a surgeon based on one friend's experience. Every patient is unique, and so is every surgery; your results might be quite different from your friend's.

Your family doctor may be able to recommend a plastic surgeon. Ask your doctor how many patients he or she has referred to this surgeon, and what feedback they offered later. Ask whether the doctor would send a family member to this plastic surgeon.

Call a respected hospital in your community and ask for the names of board-certified plastic surgeons on staff. Be sure to ask for the names of doctors who have privileges (official approval) to do the particular procedure you're considering.

The Plastic Surgery Information Service of the ASPRS is an excellent source of names. Call the toll-free number, 1-800-635-0635.

You can find the names of board-certified plastic surgeons, listed by state and city, in two reference books available in most public libraries: The Directory of Medical Specialists, published by Marquis Who's Who, and The Compendium of certified Medical Specialists, published by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

Paid advertising. You can find plenty of physicians' names in the yellow pages and other advertising sources.

Once you've compiled a list of several doctors, you can start checking their credentials. While good credentials can't guarantee you a successful outcome, they can significantly increase the odds.

More important than where your surgeon went to school is the type of training he or she received. Has the surgeon completed an accredited residency program specifically in plastic surgery? Such a program includes two or three years of intensive training in the full spectrum of reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. While your plastic surgeon may choose to concentrate on a limited number of procedures, this comprehensive background gives a solid foundation to his or her skills.

Everyone has heard the phrase "board-certified." But very few people know what it means, or what to look for. Patients are encouraged to consider a doctor certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). By choosing a plastic surgeon who is certified by the ABPS, a patient can be assured that the doctor has graduated from an accredited medical school and completed at least five years of additional residency- usually three years of general surgery (or its equivalent) and two years of plastic surgery. To be certified by the ABPS, a doctor must also practice plastic surgery for two years and pass comprehensive written and oral exams.

Even if your surgery will be performed in the doctor's own surgical facility, he or she should have privileges to perform that procedure at an accredited hospital in your community. It means the surgeon is subject to approval by a body of his or her peers. Call the hospital to make sure.

Although there's no magic number (of years or procedures) that defines "experience," you should feel comfortable that the surgeon you choose is well versed and up-to-date in the procedure you're considering. You can ask the surgeons on your list if they do the procedure frequently or only occasionally, and when they last performed that procedure.

Physicians may belong to a wide array of professional societies, but-as with board certification-some are more meaningful than others. If a physician tells you he or she belongs to a particular society, get the exact name and call the society to find out what the requirements for membership are.

If you've narrowed your list down to two or three surgeons, you might want to visit them all for an initial consultation. That way you can compare their personalities, their opinions on the type of surgery you should have, their fees, and the way they answer your questions and explain the risks involved. Keep in mind, though, that you'll probably have to pay for these consultations, whether or not you choose that surgeon.

                                     

Here are a few general things to look for in the interview:
The surgeon should answer all of your questions thoroughly, in language you can understand.

                                     

13. Yes, we will be selling our products from this web site in the very near future. When we do encorporate this feature, it will only be for existing patients only! It will also be secure, so that you may use your credit cards. All of the doctors want to make sure that whatever product you choose, it is exactly what is best for you and your particular situation.

                                     

14. We are located in Greensboro, NC, just 2 blocks from Mose H. Cone Memorial Hospital.

                                     

15. Our business hours are Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 5p.m. For information regarding our holiday schedules, please see our calendar.