Self Help Health Guides : Plastic Surgery

Contents: 

Part 1: Plastic Surgery: Definitions and Desire

Questions 1-8 define what plastic surgery is and who are plastic surgery candidates, including: • What is plastic surgery? • Why should I consider having plastic surgery? • Why wouldn I consider having plastic surgery? • What are realistic expectations

Part 2: Plastic Surgery Providers

Questions 9-13 discuss the different types of appropriately credentialed plastic surgery providers, including: 
 • What defines a qualified plastic surgeon? • What other credentials and factors should be considered? • How can a qualified provider be found?

Part 3: Where to Begin

Questions 14-20 discuss selecting a provider to perform your plastic surgery and the process of consultation, including: 
 • How do I choose a physician to perform my surgery? • What is involved in a consultation? • What is informed consent?

Part 4: Paying for Plastic Surgery

Questions 21-26 define cost considerations for plastic surgery, including: Will insurance cover plastic surgery costs? • Are there hidden costs? • Can money be saved on a procedure

Part 5: Plastic Surgery and Safety 

Questions 27-35 explain where plastic surgery is performed and addresses patient safety concerns, including: Where will plastic surgery be performed? • What are the risks of plastic surgery? • What can I do to reduce chances of complications? • What are my responsibilities as a patient

Part 6: The Basics of Plastic Surgery

Questions 36-39 discuss basic techniques in all plastic surgery, and their most common individual applications, including: What are wound closure and tissue repositioning? • Is removal of a skin lesion plastic surgery? • How can plastic surgery treat skin cancer? • Can scars be removed or erased

Part 7: Plastic Surgery of the Breast

Questions 40-47 cover plastic surgery procedures of the breast and the issues women face when considering plastic surgery of the breast, including: • What is plastic surgery of the breast? • What is the difference between silicone and saline filled implants? • What is breast reconstruction? • What are the health risks of this type of plastic surgery

Part 8: A Better Body: Surgical Body Contouring 

Questions 48-60 discuss plastic surgery to improve the shape of your body, including: 
 • What is body contouring? • What is liposuction, and how can it reduce fat?
 • What is a tummy tuck •
 • Can sagging skin be corrected with plastic surgery

Part 9: Beauty and Balance: Plastic Surgery to Change Facial Structure

Questions 61-67 cover procedures to change the angles and contours of the facial structure to improve appearance, including: 
 • What is plastic surgery of the facial structure?  • What are rhinoplasty, facial implants, and otoplasty? •  Can children have facial plastic surgery safely

Part 10: Looking Younger: Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

Questions 68-77 discuss plastic surgery to restore a more youthful appearance, including: 
 • Can plastic surgery reverse signs of aging?  • What are blepharoplasty, brow lift, and rhytidectomy procedures? • When is a limited face lift appropriate? • What are the alternatives to surgical rejuvenation

Part 11: Plastic Surgery, Without Surgery: Minimally Invasive Procedures

Questions 78-93 cover limited procedures to enhance or improve facial appearance, including:
 • What are minimally invasive procedures?
 • What are Botox, fillers, chemical peel, and dermabrasion procedures
 • What are laser and radio wave treatments in plastic surgery?
 • How safe are minimally invasive procedures?

Part 12: Recovery and Outcomes   

Questions 94-100 discuss the plastic surgery experience and your satisfaction as a patient, including:
 • What are potential complications of plastic surgery?
 • Can pain be controlled •
 • Can the signs of plastic surgery be camouflaged?
 • Can procedures be repeated? • Afterword • Index 

About the Authors: 

Diane Gerber, MD, FACS
Dr. Gerber serves as a media spokesperson for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. She is an active participant in the American College of Surgeons and other prestigious organizations. Often called upon as a recognized expert in the field, Dr. Gerber has appeared on television, in consumer articles, and as a featured speaker at various conferences and seminars. Named as one of the top cosmetic surgeons in the country by Town and Country magazine, Dr. Gerber specializes in aesthetic surgery of the face and body. 

As a board-certified plastic surgeon, Diane L. Gerber, M.D., has met the highly selected criteria for certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is, therefore, qualified to perform plastic surgery on the face, breast, and body. She graduated from Vassar College and received her medical degree from Columbia University. After completing a three-year residency in general surgery and an additional three-year residency specifically in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Northwestern University, Dr. Gerber began her private practice in 1983. 

Marie Czenko Kuechel, MA-Czenko Kuechel Consulting, Ltd
Marie Czenko Kuechel, MA is the founder and president of Czenko Kuechel Consulting, Ltd, a firm focused on the comprehensive development, management, and distribution of medical communication programs. Clients have included the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as individual board-certified physicians practicing in their area of specialization. Ms. Kuechel is fervent in upholding communication as the foundation for the safety, satisfaction, and fulfillment of aesthetic patients. An experienced media and publicity professional, Ms. Kuechel entered the world of medical communications in 1992 at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, where she developed print and electronic public and patient education campaigns specific to aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery treatments and procedures. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, completing her undergraduate studies at Loyola University and Harvard University, and Master of Arts in Journalism from The Ohio State University. She is author of the physician practice management guide Aesthetic Medicine: Practicing for Success and editor-at-large for NewBeauty magazine.