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Reconstructive & Cosmetic Surgery

Reconstructive surgery is performed to reconstruct areas of the body that are abnormal due to congenital defects, illness or trauma. Patients undergo reconstructive surgery to improve bodily function or to restore a normal appearance. Cosmetic surgery is elective; patients choose to reshape normal body features in order to enhance their appearance and self-esteem.

To make sure that your surgeon is qualified to perform your surgery, ask potential surgeons the following questions:

1) Are you certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery? Surgeons who are certified have at least 5 years of surgical training and a minimum of 2 years of plastic surgery training.

2) How long have you been performing this procedure? How many of these procedures have you performed? Are you using the latest techniques and participated in any specialized training for this procedure? Generally speaking, the more experience a physician has, the better the outcome.

Questions to ask your surgeon about the surgery itself:

1) Am I a good candidate for this procedure?

2) What will be expected of me to get the best results?

3) What are the risks?

4) How long is the recovery period? Will I need assistance during my recovery? Will I need to take time off from work?