Do check and make sure that you are consulting and putting your trust on a board-certified plastic surgeon -- someone who has completed years of formal training and successfully satisfied the standards set by the Board of Plastic Surgery in your country.

Don't be a victim of deception, false advertisement, and publicity regarding the specialty of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. Be wise enough to ask your doctor for facts or truths. However, it is always safe to set realistic expectations with regards to the procedure you plan to have.

Always know your cosmetic plastic surgeon's background and training. You may be able to see his/her credentials through his/her website, or you may inquire from the medical society he/she belongs to. In the Philippines, a board- certified cosmetic plastic surgeon must be a member and had passed all the requirements given by the Philippine Board of Plastic Surgeons (PBPS) and the Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS).

Do not hesitate to ask questions or clarify your concerns regarding your desired or planned operation. Your surgeon must be able to discuss in detail all possible options that you have to attain your desired outcome. Sometimes, it may take several visits to fully understand the procedure you want to undergo. It will also enable you to know your surgeon well and establish a comfortable professional relationship prior to surgery.

Before finalizing your decision and submitting yourself to any procedure, make sure that you fully understand all information about your planned surgery. This includes the benefit that you may attain, the safety of the procedure, and possible risks and complications. Every detail must be clear, and your surgeon must be able to give a brief discussion and summary of the procedure. However, patients must understand and accept the fact that all surgical procedures, cosmetic or otherwise, have inherent risks or complications. This is the basic reality in the field of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. Moreover, your surgeon must know every possible complication in each cosmetic procedure, and be able to avoid the same as much as possible. Whenever complication arises, he/she should be able to address it immediately. To do so, he/she must be equipped with adequate surgical knowledge of the procedure -- the kind of knowledge attained through years of formal training.

Be aware that in the Philippines, there are doctors and even non-doctors who do not have formal training in cosmetic plastic surgery but nevertheless perform cosmetic procedures. It is therefore safe to ask your surgeon if he/she is a member of the Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS) and the Philippine Board of Plastic Surgery (PBPS) which are the only societies recognized by the Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) to practice and regulate cosmetic surgery in the Philippines.

You must accept that even after discussing all issues pertinent to the cosmetic procedure you want to have, you will still have a lot of questions or concerns after the surgery. Just like any surgical procedure, cosmetic surgery may be accompanied by swelling, bruising, tube drains, numbness, soaking of dressing, among others. In such cases, do not hesitate to discuss or ask questions from your surgeon to avoid feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. It's the surgeon's job to explain, comfort, and guide the patient during the recuperation period. A compassionate surgeon will most often provide that comforting response.

Make sure all instructions before and after the surgery are fully explained by the surgeon and his staff. Ask questions and clarify any concerns that you may have. Religiously follow all instructions given by the surgical team to help minimize the risks of complication after the surgery.

Any prospective client wishing to have a cosmetic procedure must accept the fact that there is always a limitation to any surgical procedure as well as its result. For example, some patients may have medical conditions and/or taking medication that may affect the outcome of the surgery. ¤¤