Questions To Ask For Liposuction

Important Questions for Liposuction Consultation

When having a consultation for liposuction it is important to check the qualifications and experience of your surgeon. Here are some points that may help you.

It is important to know if your surgeon is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

This assures you that you doctor has completed an extensive training program. Unfortunately, there are many doctors who perform liposuction with minimal training in surgery in general but in liposuction in particular.

Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery will let you know that your physician has completed certified training.

Ask about your doctors experience. How long has s/he been in practice and how many cases has s/he performed. Ask to see before and after pictures from doctor’s previous cases.

Where is the surgery performed? Is it done at a hospital, out patient surgery center or in the office or in the doctor’s office.

If in the office, make sure the office operating room is certified by a safety organization such as the AAAASF.

Ask if you are a good candidate for liposuction. Remember, liposuction is a body contouring procedure, It removes troublesome areas of fullness that do not respond to diet and exercise.

It is not a weight loss procedure. You also must have good skin quality so the skin re-drapes and contracts to give you a nice smooth contour in the operative site.

Stretch marks, cellulite or loose skin may not result in a good result. (James H. Schmidt, MD (retired), Sarasota Plastic Surgeon)

  1. Who actually does the liposuction surgery for your case? Then check out the training and experience of your doctor.
  2. How is it done? The technical stuff. Review images of before and afters by your doctor.
  3. Where is it done? Is the facility certified and safe? Check it out. (John P. Di Saia, MD, Orange Plastic Surgeon)

Questions to ask your doc during liposuction consultation

  • Are you board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery
  • How many liposuction procedures to you perform each month
  • What technique do you prefer and why
  • What are the risks involved with my surgery
  • Tell me more about my recovery
  • Can I see before/after photos of patients you have actually treated (C. Bob Basu, MD, FACS, Houston Plastic Surgeon)
  1. Are you a Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (www.PlasticSurgery.org)? – All its members ARE certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and are committed to a culture of patient safety and a strict Code of Ethics.
  2. What are the potential complications of this operation?
  3. WHERE are you going to perform the operation? (If the facility is NOT a certified Outpatient surgery center, hospital or either a Medicare of AAAASF certified facility WALK AWAY and do not look back. He is not practicing safe surgery).
  4. Can I see some of your before and After pictures?
  5. Can I talk to some of your patients? (Peter A. Aldea, MD, Memphis Plastic Surgeon)

Ask if you’re a good Liposuction candidate during consultation

After finding a board certified plastic surgeon, the most important thing to ask is if you are a good candidate for liposuction or not. In order to have a good outcome, you must have good skin tone, with minimal to no stretch marks.

You should also be at or close to your ideal body weight before considering liposuction. Some patients may need to lose weight prior to liposuction to better isolate the “problem” areas to be operated upon.

An experienced surgeon will be able to evaluate you and easily determine if liposuction is the right procedure for you. (William Bruno, MD, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon)