When choosing a cosmetic surgeon, it is critical to choose a surgeon with impeccable medical credentials, plastic surgery experience and board certification. However, there are a number of other important factors that will greatly affect the quality of your cosmetic surgery experience and your satisfaction with that experience.
When selecting a cosmetic surgery center, weigh first the medical qualifications and experience of the plastic surgeon who will perform the procedure, but also carefully consider the following questions that indicate the surgeon’s commitment to his patients:
- Does your cosmetic surgeon ask about your goals and expectations? Does he understand what you wish to achieve through cosmetic surgery?
- Does your plastic surgeon take time to thoroughly and clearly answer all of your questions? Does he listen to your comments and address your concerns?
- Does your board-certified cosmetic surgeon design a uniquely individual treatment program that addresses your specific plastic surgery goals?
- Does your plastic surgeon offer alternative treatments if appropriate? Are these alternatives in keeping with your goals or does he put pressure on you to consider unnecessary procedures?
- Does your board-certified cosmetic surgeon welcome questions about procedures, qualifications and experience, cost and payment policies?
- Does your plastic surgeon outline the potential risks and outcomes of the procedures you have selected?
- Does your cosmetic surgeon provide you with information for your review and consideration before you make a decision?
- Can your plastic surgeon arrange for you to talk to other patients who have undergone the same procedure?
- Does your cosmetic surgeon pressure you to make a decision or does he leave the final decision to you?
Once you are informed and empowered with information, you will feel confident that you have chosen the right cosmetic surgeon.
Naturally, proper training and credentials are essential. These qualifications indicate that the cosmetic surgeon you select has the proper training and that he adheres to the highest standards of medical practice. Cleveland consumers should look for a cosmetic surgeon with specialized training similar to that of renowned board certified Avon Lake plastic surgeon Dr. Vicente Poblete.
In addition to completion of a five-year general surgery training program at St. Vincent's Hospital & Medical Center in New York, Dr. Poblete has completed advanced training specifically in plastic surgery including hand surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, surgical facial aesthetics and the latest body contouring procedures. A member of plastic surgery's most prestigious professional organizations, Dr. Poblete is active in the Lorain County medical community where he has served as a member of the Lorain County Medical Society Board of Directors and Community Health Partner's Board of Trustees, among other honors.
But exceptional medical credentials do not guarantee that you will have a satisfying or satisfactory cosmetic surgery experience. Beyond education and training, there are many intangible elements that affect the quality of a patient's plastic surgery experience. It is attention to the goals, needs and solicitous physical and emotional care of each individual patient that guarantees a successful and rejuvenating cosmetic surgery experience. As Dr. Poblete says to prospective patients on the Accentuate Within website:
"My staff and I have placed value on patient education and comfort, patient safety and patient satisfaction, as well as providing you with the highest medical care possible. We pride ourselves in the way we relate with and care for our patients and for their personal experience with our practice – it defines who we are."
In the April issue of Real Simple magazine, etiquette expert Julie Rottenberg dealt with one of those modern etiquette problems that perplex many of us today. The writer asked what you should do if someone you know has had plastic surgery. Should you compliment the person on their new look or ignore the change? Julie answered that it’s appropriate to comment on how fantastic the person looks, but that prying about whether or not they’ve had a cosmetic surgery procedure is bad manners. However, Julie did note that if you’re interested in having a cosmetic surgery procedure yourself, you can invite personal revelation by saying something like, “You look fantastic. What’s your secret?” This allows the person to either keep her plastic surgery to herself or brag about her successful procedure and her satisfaction with her results.
Successful plastic surgery should leave people guessing. Your friends will notice that you look lovelier, more beautiful or more fit; but they won’t be able to put their finger on why. And that’s the way many women and men who undergo cosmetic surgery want it. They like to keep their plastic surgery procedures as confidential secret between them and their doctor. They like people to notice the beautiful effects of their cosmetic surgery but attribute it to nature’s gift without recognizing the doctor’s hand in giving nature a little boost.
Other cosmetic surgery patients aren’t shy about sharing their experience and are eager to share their joy, personal satisfaction and increased self-confidence in their appearance with other people. If you would like to talk with a patient who has undergone the procedure you are contemplating, we can arrange for you to do so. The confidence and comfort of our patients is always our top priority.
One picture is worth a thousand words goes the ancient Chinese proverb. At Cleveland cosmetic and plastic surgery center Accentuate Within our caring staff understands the concerns women have when they decide to change their appearance. Customized body contouring, breast enhancement, a face lift or reshaping of the nose or any cosmetic surgery procedure is both a practical and an emotional decision for most women.
Even when the positive changes that are about to occur in their lives are eagerly anticipated, most women choosing Cleveland cosmetic surgery feel a little anxious about plastic surgery. Led by expert board-certified Cleveland plastic surgeon Dr. Vicente Poblete, the experienced staff at Accentuate Within's Avon Lake, Ohio cosmetic and plastic surgery center takes plenty of time to talk with patients about their expectations and goals for cosmetic surgery.
A customized program is designed to meet each patient's individual goals. Dr. Poblete and our staff educate patients about Cleveland cosmetic surgery procedures so that they can make well informed choices about their face and body.
On the Accentuate Within website you'll find a Patient Gallery showing before and after photos of common cosmetic surgery procedures. Read firsthand accounts chronicling the experiences of other Cleveland cosmetic surgery patients in the online Patient Diaries. The Accentuate Within staff can also arrange for you to talk to another plastic surgery patient who has already undergone the procedure you are contemplating. There's nothing more revealing or comforting than talking to another woman who has successfully experienced the same cosmetic surgery procedure. At Cleveland cosmetic surgery center Accentuate Within, we understand how helpful it can be to talk to woman-to-woman with another patient about her actual surgery, her recovery experience and how the cosmetic surgery procedure has positively changed her life.
As one happy patient noted – "DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR BODY!"
Reality television personality Heidi Montag's revelation on Good Morning America earlier this week that she underwent 10 cosmetic surgery procedures in a single day last November shocked viewers and unleashed a firestorm of outrage and debate in the press and on the blogosphere. Concern seemed to be directed most at the questionable necessity and safety of a 23-year-old woman undergoing so many elective cosmetic surgery procedures and the example Heidi's choices set for young fans who have followed her career since she caught the public's notice during three seasons on The Hills.
Heidi's on-air revelation followed her comment in last week's People magazine that she was "beyond obsessed" with plastic surgery. On Good Morning America, Heidi defended her decision, saying, "I'm living in my skin, and I look in the mirror and it's my career and my life, and you only have one. So, I want to take advantage of everything and be the best me, in and out, every way."
Heidi told Good Morning America she underwent cosmetic surgery procedures to her brows, neck, chin, jaw, nose, cheeks, lips, waist, hips and thighs all in a single surgery session and had previously had a nose job and breast augmentation. She said she plans to go undergo additional cosmetic surgery in the future to further increase her breast size from triple-D to H. When asked how she felt about the results of her cosmetic surgery procedures, Heidi said, "I think I look like myself. I think I just look like a different, improved version of myself."
Some of Heidi's The Hills cast mates were among many who expressed concern about the effect publicity about Heidi's choices might have on young girls. On the All Headline News website, The Hills' Lo Bosworth was quoted as saying, "I hope that girls don't...look at the decisions that Heidi made and think that's normal...I would never want young girls to read that and think it's the standard that they need to be measured by."
The controversy surrounding Heidi's cosmetic surgery choices emphasizes the critical necessity of choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon you can trust who has the professional experience and deep commitment to his patients' well-being, safety and good health to educate you about all of the options available to reach your personal appearance goals. A dedicated cosmetic surgeon will take the time to discuss the long-term implications of various plastic surgery options, offer alternatives and guide you toward healthy choices.
Dr. Poblete and the staff at Accentuate Within Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center in Avon Lake, Ohio work closely with each patient to develop a specialized personal care program to ensure that every patient meets her appearance goals effectively and safely. Dr. Poblete may recommend that contemplated surgeries be spaced at intervals to allow the patient to become comfortable with the results of the first surgery before deciding if additional procedures are necessary.
In our Patient Diaries download, you can read Wendy's Story. A 34-year-old Cleveland woman, Wendy came to us seeking a tummy tuck and breast implants to remove post-baby sag, but confessed she wasn't completely comfortable with silicone implants. Dr. Problete listened to her concerns and was able to suggest an alternative he felt would provide even better results. As Wendy says, "To my surprise [Dr. Poblete] informed me I would not need implants and that I would be very satisfied with a full tummy tuck and breast lift." After her surgery, Wendy commented, "I have never felt so good about looking in the mirror at myself...My breasts are lifted and fuller and no longer hide in my armpits when I lay in bed at night. Both my husband and I are happy."
Honorable plastic surgeons like Dr. Problete who value their patients' well-being have your health and welfare at heart and will guide you to the safest, most effective cosmetic surgery procedures to help you achieve your appearance goals.
Choosing the right plastic surgeon can dramatically affect your patient experience and satisfaction with the results of the procedure. Critically important are the credentials, training and experience of the cosmetic surgeon you choose.
Ask these questions of your surgeon:
- Are you certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery? Board certification ensures that your plastic surgeon has successfully completed required education at an accredited medical school and a minimum 5-year surgical residency with at least 2 years devoted to plastic surgery. Board certification also requires that the board-certified plastic surgeon pass comprehensive oral and written exams.
- Are you a member of American Society of Plastic Surgeons? Founded in 1931, ASPS is the largest international plastic surgery specialty organization. Its mission is to advance quality care to plastic surgery patients by encouraging high standards of training, ethics, practice and research. Membership ensures patients that their plastic surgeon has met the strict requirements of the organization, is board certified and adheres to the highest standards of surgical practice and patient care.
- Are you a member of American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery? Founded in 1967, ASAPS is an elite organization of board-certified plastic surgeons whose mission is to advance the science, art and safe practice of cosmetic plastic surgery. Only one-quarter of board-certified plastic surgeons meet the rigorous educational, experience and superlative professional standards required for membership.
- What is your training and experience in plastic surgery? A plastic surgeon who meets the highest professional standards will be board certified by both his state and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. In addition to achieving his Doctor of Medicine from an accredited medical school, your plastic surgeon should have a minimum of 5 years of surgical training in an accredited medical residency program with at least 2 years exclusively devoted to plastic surgery.
- Beware of "Board-Certified." There are a lot of practitioners who will say they are "board-certified." More important is – "Board-certified in what?" Would you feel safe entrusting your body to someone who is "board-certified in emergency medicine," or "board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology" – to name a few? Would you let your plastic surgeon deliver your baby?
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Isn't it interesting that how we feel we look on the outside so greatly impacts how we feel about ourselves on the inside? And how we feel about ourselves affects our ability to compete and succeed in the work place and on the social scene. It is the most basic element of self-esteem and the root of self-confidence. Interestingly, it has nothing to do with classic physical beauty, at least not society’s or someone else's definition of beauty. It is a matter of our self perception. If we are comfortable with what we see in the mirror, if we feel we look attractive, that our features are pleasing, we feel beautiful and self-confident.
As any woman knows, this belief in our own natural beauty can be a tenuous thing. If a bad hair day can send our spirits plummeting, imagine how devastating it can be to look in the mirror day after day and see yourself as flawed. No human is without small imperfections. Even cover models who are renowned for their beauty confess to feelings of inadequacy about one feature or another. Focusing too closely on our flaws appears to be a universal experience of the human condition. Age only exacerbates the problem, magnifying those tiny imperfections that bother us, chipping away daily at our sense of self. No one escapes. Gravity eventually takes its toll.
Who hasn't indulged in the "if only" game? If only my nose was smaller. If only my breasts were perkier. If only my tummy wasn't so flabby. If only my chin was firmer. Those "if onlies" prevent us from feeling good about ourselves and fully embracing life. Cosmetic surgery and customized body contouring allow you to turn those “if onlies” into wonderful realities. Accentuate Within enhances your natural beauty and allows you to be the woman you want to be.
Quality of care is what distinguishes Accentuate Within from other Cleveland cosmetic and plastic surgery centers. Led by board-certified plastic and cosmetic surgeon Dr. J. Vicente Poblete, the caring and dedicated staff at Accentuate Within's Avon Lake, Ohio surgery center strives to create a superior experience for each of our patients. From initial contact through surgery, post-operative treatment and follow-up visits, Dr. Poblete and his staff are solicitous of our patients’ concerns and feelings and dedicated to helping each patient enhance her natural beauty and achieve her beauty goals.
Properly performed cosmetic surgery requires complex and precise procedures that will affect the life of the patient for years to come. Successful cosmetic surgery does much more than improve a woman’s appearance. Expertly performed cosmetic surgery enhances the way a woman feels about herself, increases her awareness of her personal beauty and adds to her self confidence. Unfortunately, many of the physicians now offering cosmetic surgery procedures lack the extended formal surgical training that ensures dependably successful results. Their training, often limited to weekend courses, and specialties are in other medical areas. They have been lured to cosmetic surgery by its growing popularity but lack the medical credentials of board certified plastic surgeons like Dr. Poblete.
As a board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Poblete has completed lengthy and rigorous medical training specifically in the field of cosmetic and plastic surgery. In addition to completing a three to five year general surgery residency, board certified plastic surgeons must complete an additional two to three years of specialized training in the specific field of plastic surgery. Dr. Poblete brings to his patients expert surgical technique, long experience in cosmetic and plastic surgery and, most importantly, mature surgical judgment.
Before choosing your cosmetic surgeon, read what our satisfied patients have to say about the exceptional quality of care Dr. Poblete and his staff provide at Accentuate Within.