The Red Flags We Watch For in a Cosmetic Surgery Consultation

Picking the wrong provider for your procedure is a problem no one wants to fix. Before any of the technical details matter, cosmetic surgeon Dr. James Koehler and Dr. Vincent Gardner think the most important moment of your whole experience is the one most people rush through: sitting across from the surgeon for the first time and deciding whether to move forward.Surgeons are vetting you back. Dr. Koehler explains the questions running through his head: Is the decision yours, or is your spouse driving the conversation? Are your expectations grounded in your actual anatomy, or in someone else's before-and-after? Is something else going on — a recent loss, a sudden upheaval — that might mean this isn't the right time to make a permanent change?On your side, Dr. Gardner walks through what to vet for: real experience with the specific procedure you want, before-and-afters that look like you, post-op accessibility that doesn't drop off after the stitches come out, and an office-based facility that's accredited. Alabama's new rules now require accreditation for office-based surgery, but it's worth confirming. And if a quote comes back $10,000 below everyone else's, that's the kind of bargain that costs you later.The question nobody asks but everybody should: what's the revision policy? Every procedure carries a revision rate. Knowing in advance how your surgeon handles touch-ups, and what they cost, is the difference between an awkward conversation and a fair one. The doctors share what to ask, how to ask it, and what a good answer sounds like.Read more about choosing a cosmetic surgeon: https://www.easternshoreplasticsurgery.com/about/cosmetic-vs-plastic-surgery/Questions answered by this episode:1. How do I choose the right cosmetic surgeon?2. What questions should I ask at a plastic surgery consultation?3. What are the biggest red flags when picking a cosmetic surgeon?4. Why is one surgeon thousands of dollars cheaper than the others?5. What does it mean for a surgery facility to be accredited?6. Does my cosmetic surgeon need hospital privileges?7. What is a revision policy and how do I ask about it?8. Is it offensive to ask my surgeon about complication rates?9. How many before-and-after photos should my surgeon have?10. What should I research before booking a consultation?Alabama the Beautiful is the cosmetic surgery podcast co-hosted by Dr. James Koehler and Dr. Vincent Gardner, surgeons with over 2 decades of expertise in cosmetic surgery and their trusty co-host Kirstin, your best friend, confidante, and the snarky yet loveable “swiss army knife” of Eastern Shore Cosmetic Surgery.Have a question for Dr. Koehler, Dr. Gardner or Kirstin? Record your voicemail at alabamathebeautifulpodcast.com and we’ll answer it on the podcast.Eastern Shore Cosmetic Surgery is located off Highway 98 at 7541 Cipriano Ct in Fairhope, Alabama. To learn more about the practice or ask a question, go to easternshoreplasticsurgery.comFollow the team on Instagram @easternshorecosmeticsurgeryWatch Dr. Koehler, Dr. Gardner & Kirstin on YouTube @JamesKoehlerMDAlabama The Beautiful is a production of The Axis: theaxis.ioTheme music: Never Need a Reason, Guy Trevino and Friends