Choosing the best cosmetic surgeon for your facelift or eyelid procedure can be overwhelming and a bit confusing.   Facial cosmetic surgery can add years of youthfulness and beauty to your appearance.  However, choosing the right surgeon is critical to your result.  Most patients have certain criteria  — a checklist to compare one surgeon with another.  At my office, we believe the quest for a facial and eyelid cosmetic surgeon is more challenging than finding a surgeon for your body. After all, you can’t throw on a pair of slimming jeans or don clothes that make your jowls and neck look tighter. And in short, unlike your body, you can’t hide what you don’t like about your face with an item of clothing. To help you select the best cosmetic surgeon, I have outlined some myths to be busted, some to be believed, and some new ideas to consider.

All things being equal, go with the cheapest plastic surgeon.  I believe this is the biggest myth that needs to be dispelled.  The least expensive plastic surgeon cannot possibly equal even the mid-range plastic surgeon in terms of results, pre-op and post-op care.  Generally speaking, the cost to run a plastic surgeon’s office is the same across Long Island.  If expenses are the same, then the surgeon charging significantly less is most likely increasing the volume of cases performed daily to maintain profitability.  This surgeon most likely performs 5 to 6 surgeries daily, and cannot possibly give his patients the same time and care that the surgeon with two to three cases daily provides, not during the surgery or even during follow up appointments.

It is my belief, that some of the facial lifting procedures promoted on infomercials do not provide the same results as more extensive and expensive surgery.  Some offices utilize doctors in training such as fellows, residents and interns.  It is important to know exactly who will be performing the surgery and the qualifications of the surgeon.  I perform 100% of the surgery on my facial and eyelid patients.

I spend almost the entire day with one patient.  My goal is to ensure personalized service so that each patient enjoys a beautiful result based upon care, time and attention to detail.

Money spent on a specialist is money well spent. This is a philosophy I agree with — there are many excellent cosmetic surgeons in NY and on Long Island.  However, most surgeons are generalists, meaning they will perform a number of different surgeries ranging from breast implants to eyelid lifts.  I believe a surgeon with a specialty procedure will always produce a better result on that specialty than a generalist.

The Longer The Recovery, the Longer-Lasting the Results.  This is definitely not true.  Many plastic surgeons require an overnight stay in a hospital or advise you to hire a private duty nurse to accompany you home.  My SmartLift FaceLift is done without general anesthesia, using micro-surgery which minimizes blood loss and allows for quicker healing.  Our patients leave without drains, the same day, and without the need for at-home nursing or an overnight stay in a hospital-based facility.

My patients enjoy results that parallel or exceed patients whose recovery time is longer and more expensive.

A Good Bedside Manner is Important.  Yes!  I believe you should feel completely comfortable with your surgeon and the surgeon’s staff.  This is perhaps one of the most important qualities to look for in a surgeon.  Although the surgeon performs procedures daily, for the patient an elective cosmetic surgery can be a once in a lifetime affair.  Patients frequently have a lot of questions about their surgery, evaluations, and healing.  We encourage frequent communication with our patients.  My staff and I are continuously available to answer questions and provide guidance.

You should have an overall good feeling about the surgeon and the staff.  The cleanliness of the facility as well as the presentation and compassion of the staff will influence your level of patient care.  Our office strives to treat each and very patient as a VIP.  Your health, welfare and beautiful results are our top priorities.  My staff is a very important aspect of my surgical experience and their caring attitude will truly enhance your surgery and recovery.