FAQs

Below are answers to some commonly asked questions about plastic and reconstructive surgery. If you don't see the information you are looking for, please don't hesitate to call or email us.

Q: Is plastic surgery safe?

Q: Am I an appropriate candidate for plastic surgery?

Q: What factors impact the success of surgery?

Q: What effect can plastic surgery have on my self-image after surgery?

Q: Will my surgery be covered by insurance?

 

Q:

Is plastic surgery safe?

A:

The first and most important step in ensuring the procedure you are contemplating is safe and successful is selecting a highly trained and experienced board certified surgeon who specializes in that type of procedure. You want to be sure you and your surgeon communicate openly and work together to achieve realistic goals. An understanding of your goals, expectations and motivation is essential to a successful partnership between you and your surgeon, helping both of you to determine whether plastic surgery is the right choice for you.

Q:

Am I an appropriate candidate for plastic surgery?

A:

If you are considering plastic surgery, you must be honest with yourself. Exactly why do you want surgery? And, what are your goals for surgery-what do you expect plastic surgery to do for you?

There are two categories of patients who are good candidates for surgery. The first includes patients with a strong self-image, who are bothered by a physical characteristic that they'd like to improve or change. After surgery, these patients feel good about the results and maintain a positive image about themselves.

The second category includes patients who have a physical defect or cosmetic flaw that has diminished their self-esteem over time.  These patients may adjust rather slowly after surgery, as rebuilding confidence takes time. However, as they adjust, these patients' self-image is strengthened, sometimes dramatically.

It's important to remember that plastic surgery can create both physical changes and changes in self-esteem.  If you are seeking surgery with the hope of influencing a change in someone other than yourself, you might end up disappointed. It's possible that friends and loved ones will respond positively to your change in appearance and self-confidence, however understand and accept that plastic surgery will not cause dramatic changes in people other than you.

Q:

What factors impact the success of surgery?

A:

A patient's age, skin type, general health, genetic background, and the nature of his or her condition can all affect any final result.  Patients who smoke may not heal as quickly as non-smoking patients.  Patients with sun-damaged skin may not achieve the same degree of improvement as those without sun-damaged skin.  Though there is no way to exactly predict a surgical outcome, the surgeon will examine the known patient variables before surgery begins and can project an estimate of the surgical result.  Patients can take comfort in knowing that most of the procedures performed today have been refined over several decades.

Q:

What effect can plastic surgery have on my self-image after surgery?

A:

Each of us has a "self-image," a perception of how we believe we look to others. People who are happy with their self-image are more likely to be self-confident, effective in work and social situations, and comfortable in their relationships. Those who are dissatisfied tend to be self-conscious, inhibited, and less effective in activities.

Plastic surgery—whether cosmetic or reconstructive—encourages and promotes a strong, positive self-image. Even a small change on the outside can create an extraordinary change on the inside, allowing an individual's self-confidence to flourish.

Q:

Will my surgery be covered by insurance?

A:

Reconstructive surgery is covered by most health insurance policies, although the specifics of coverage may vary greatly.  Some carriers may fully cover reconstructive procedures; others may pay only a portion of the cost.

Cosmetic surgery, however, is usually not covered by health insurance because it is elective and not considered a medical necessity.  Some plastic surgeons accept major credit cards or offer financing programs that allow patients to make manageable monthly payments for cosmetic surgery.

Keep in mind that there are a number of "gray areas" in plastic surgery that sometimes require special consideration by an insurance carrier. For example, eyelid surgery—a procedure normally performed to achieve cosmetic improvement—may be covered if drooping eyelids obscure a patient's vision.  In assessing whether the procedure will be covered, the carrier often looks at the primary reason the procedure is being performed: is it for relief of symptoms or for aesthetic improvement?

 

Back To Top Δ

 

 

* Information provided by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.