How to pick the right plastic surgeon!

[AmberFL 1,045]

I had my first consult last Friday and I liked her and the practice. From the consult to them answering my questions its been a pretty good experience. I tried another surgeon in my area who two women have gotten work done by and the first call seemed off. However the one I like, has beautiful before and after pictures but her Yelp reviews are not great. The surgeon I feel off about (haven't met with him) has great reviews. I am willing to put my deposit down on the one I like now to work toward it but I am nervous after reading the negative reviews.

What did you all do?

[catwoman7 11,274]

I wanted the best surgeon I could find that wasn't too far from where I live (within two or three hours). Although I would have been open to traveling if I couldn't find anyone in the region. I don't think he had the best bedside manner of those I did my consults with, but he specialized in plastic surgery for massive weight loss patients and had been doing this particular type of surgery for years...and years. He had excellent reviews. Of course, it's great if you really connect with the person, too - but you'll only be seeing this person a handful of times - if that - but you'll be living with the results of your surgery for the rest of your life. You might want to schedule a couple more consults before deciding. I found realself.com to be somewhat helpful when I was coming up with my list of potential surgeons.

you're in California - Dr. Katzen is nationally known and specializes in massive weight loss patients, I believe.

EDITED to add - looks like he does all kinds of plastic surgery, he doesn't specialize in massive weight loss patients. However, he's very well known in the bariatric community.

Edited June 17, 2024 by catwoman7

[AmberFL 1,045]

1 minute ago, catwoman7 said:

I wanted the best surgeon I could find that wasn't too far from where I live (within two or three hours). Although I would have been open to traveling if I couldn't find anyone in the region. I don't think he had the best bedside manner of those I did my consults with, but he specialized in plastic surgery for massive weight loss patients and had been doing this particular type of surgery for years...and years. He had excellent reviews. Of course, it's great if you really connect with the person, too - but you'll only be seeing this person a handful of times - if that - but you'll be living with the results of your surgery for the rest of your life. You might want to schedule a couple more consults before deciding. I found realself.com to be somewhat helpful when I was coming up with my list of potential surgeons.

you're in California - Dr. Katzen is nationally known and specializes in massive weight loss patients, I believe.

On Realself.com her reviews are good, on Yelp not so much. She specializes on all BMI's, which attracted me to her. Alot of women who had a lot of skin and she made them look great. The reviews are all older, not super recent. Read the reviews for Dr. Katzen and his yelp reviews aren't great either. Maybe its a yelp thing! lol

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,680]

Plastics usually comes after you've maintained your weight for at least a year. You had your surgery almost 5 months ago. Did you tell them that and are they ok with it?

[ms.sss 15,809]

i picked my consults based on before and after photos (their work), and the NUMBER of before and after photos (their volume/experience), and if they had any (unresolved) complaints or sanctions or investigations on their records. (i went to 5 consults)

then i shortlisted based on a combination of price, evaluation of aftercare, whether or not they were willing to do all my procedures (3 of them: Tummy Tuck, breast lift, arm lift) all in one shot...this left me with 2.

tie breaker was based on my perceived VIBE of them. One seemed more serious and by-the-book-ish and other was a bit more chill and easier-going. i chose the chill one. i'm sure i would have been perfectly fine with either of them, but i had to choose one, so i just went with someone i was more comfortable being around.

p.s. i had my plastics 7 months after reaching goal (14 months post wls) . i would have preferred it done earlier, but he was booked up for almost a year (which i booked), but later he decided to open up a day just for me over the xmas holidays a few months earlier than my almost-year-later-booking. i am thankful he did that because my original PS booking would have fallen on the beginning of COVID and would definitely had been postponed as a non-essential surgery for several months.

he had no requirement of maintaining any sort of weight wls or not. nor did the other 4 original consults.

in the month or so after plastics, i lost about 5 lbs and hit my lowest weight of 109 lbs. since then i've bounced up and down between generally 115-120 for about 5+ years (so a net gain of about 5-10 lbs depending on the day), and i still look as awesome, if i say so myself.

Edited June 17, 2024 by ms.sss

[AmberFL 1,045]

38 minutes ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

Plastics usually comes after you've maintained your weight for at least a year. You had your surgery almost 5 months ago. Did you tell them that and are they ok with it?

Im looking. Not booking, would be deposit down but wouldn't get surgery until Jan at 1yr post op. Yes, my plastic surgeon said that I would need to get the sign off from my WLS surgeon, who I just spoke to and he said wait the year. I just want boobs LOL

Edited June 17, 2024 by AmberFL

[AmberFL 1,045]

33 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

i picked my consults based on before and after photos (their work), and the NUMBER of before and after photos (their volume/experience), and if they had any (unresolved) complaints or sanctions or investigations on their records. (i went to 5 consults)

then i shortlisted based on a combination of price, evaluation of aftercare, whether or not they were willing to do all my procedures (3 of them: Tummy Tuck, breast lift, arm lift) all in one shot...this left me with 2.

tie breaker was based on my perceived VIBE of them. One seemed more serious and by-the-book-ish and other was a bit more chill and easier-going. i chose the chill one. i'm sure i would have been perfectly fine with either of them, but i had to choose one, so i just went with someone i was more comfortable being around.

p.s. i had my plastics 7 months after reaching goal (14 months post wls) . i would have preferred it done earlier, but he was booked up for almost a year (which i booked), but later he decided to open up a day just for me over the xmas holidays a few months earlier than my almost-year-later-booking. i am thankful he did that because my original PS booking would have fallen on the beginning of COVID and would definitely had been postponed as a non-essential surgery for several months.

he had no requirement of maintaining any sort of weight wls or not. nor did the other 4 original consults.

in the month or so after plastics, i lost about 5 lbs and hit my lowest weight of 109 lbs. since then i've bounced up and down between generally 115-120 for about 5+ years (so a net gain of about 5-10 lbs depending on the day), and i still look as awesome, if i say so myself.

I am in the looking stage, I JUST had my appt with my surgeon and he was like HOLY **** (not really his words) but he said I am above the curve, but told me he wouldn't sign off on the surgery until at least a year. he said any weight that I lose right now is bonus weight loss. That I could really work on maintaining if I wanted but If I lost more it would help with the regain if there is some. He told me to wait the year, plus the plastic surgeon said she would need my WLS surgeon and primary to sign off. So I already got the NO LOL *LE SIGH*

Edited June 17, 2024 by AmberFL

[SleeveToBypass2023 2,680]

5 hours ago, AmberFL said:

Im looking. Not booking, would be deposit down but wouldn't get surgery until Jan at 1yr post op. Yes, my plastic surgeon said that I would need to get the sign off from my WLS surgeon, who I just spoke to and he said wait the year. I just want boobs LOL

You just want boobs?? HOW did you get lucky enough to not need anything else? I'm seriously jealous. I need everything *sigh* I have SO MUCH loose skin everywhere, no butt, no boobs. It's terrible. I was told I'm looking at $60k-$75k for everything I need/want done. Inner and outer thighs, butt lift, Tummy Tuck, arms, neck lift, boobs, Lipo w/ contouring. And I might need a lower face lift because I have such loose skin on my cheeks and lower face that my smile lines are HORRIBLE and the skin is just NOT IT. UGH.....

[ms.sss 15,809]

15 hours ago, AmberFL said:

<...> Yes, my plastic surgeon said that I would need to get the sign off from my WLS surgeon, who I just spoke to and he said wait the year. <...>

15 hours ago, AmberFL said:

<...> told me he wouldn't sign off on the surgery until at least a year. <...>

<...> He told me to wait the year, plus the plastic surgeon said she would need my WLS surgeon and primary to sign off. So I already got the NO LOL *LE SIGH* <...>

well that's interesting!

this type of "control" over self-paid elective surgeries from one medical professional to another is i think unheard of around here. is that a common practice in the U.S. (or other countries?)

unless of course you are getting your plastics covered by insurance...in which case that would make sense...? though i had a portion of my plastics covered by provincial insurance (the panniculectomy portion of my tummy tuck), and even then i did not need to get approval/sign off from anyone other than my plastics surgeon.

Edited June 18, 2024 by ms.sss

[AmberFL 1,045]

10 hours ago, SleeveToBypass2023 said:

You just want boobs?? HOW did you get lucky enough to not need anything else? I'm seriously jealous. I need everything *sigh* I have SO MUCH loose skin everywhere, no butt, no boobs. It's terrible. I was told I'm looking at $60k-$75k for everything I need/want done. Inner and outer thighs, butt lift, Tummy Tuck, arms, neck lift, boobs, Lipo w/ contouring. And I might need a lower face lift because I have such loose skin on my cheeks and lower face that my smile lines are HORRIBLE and the skin is just NOT IT. UGH.....

oh no hunny LOL! We went through everything I could do. Back lift, arm lift, breast augmentation with lift, lower body lift (taking 15inches in the front and 10inch off the back), inner light lift. Its about 70k. Which I would LOVE to do but no way. If I can get a Tummy Tuck arms and boobs I would be so happy everything else is fine enough for me that I am not self conscious about. or that with the weight lifting has been getting tighter.

[AmberFL 1,045]

48 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

well that's interesting!

this type of "control" over self-paid elective surgeries from one medical professional to another is i think unheard of around here. is that a common practice in the U.S. (or other countries?)

unless of course you are getting your plastics covered by insurance...in which case that would make sense...? though i had a portion of my plastics covered by provincial insurance (the panniculectomy portion of my tummy tuck), and even then i did not need to get approval/sign off from anyone other than my plastics surgeon.

Im not sure, I am in CA if that makes a difference. My WLS surgeon said to wait the year, I won't regret the results. So I shall listen ugh!

[catwoman7 11,274]

3 hours ago, ms.sss said:

well that's interesting!

this type of "control" over self-paid elective surgeries from one medical professional to another is i think unheard of around here. is that a common practice in the U.S. (or other countries?)

I haven't heard of this (and I live in the US) - but like someone said, maybe it's because it's being covered or partially covered by insurance. Or something.

[AmberFL 1,045]

33 minutes ago, catwoman7 said:

I haven't heard of this (and I live in the US) - but like someone said, maybe it's because it's being covered or partially covered by insurance. Or something.

Im not sure, none of mine is going to be covered by insurance. Maybe its just the surgeon that wants to take precaution?

[ms.sss 15,809]

39 minutes ago, AmberFL said:

Im not sure, none of mine is going to be covered by insurance. Maybe its just the surgeon that wants to take precaution?

granted, i get that either your wls or plastics surgeon would make a recommendation, but for your plastics surgeon to REQUIRE a "sign off" from your wls surgeon or primary to proceed for a self-paid, elective surgery, would be a red flag to me if indeed this is not normal practice in the U.S. i mean are they just trying to cover their asses or something??

seems off...

Edited June 18, 2024 by ms.sss

[AmberFL 1,045]

53 minutes ago, ms.sss said:

granted, i get that either your wls or plastics surgeon would make a recommendation, but for your plastics surgeon to REQUIRE a "sign off" from your wls surgeon or primary to proceed for a self-paid, elective surgery, would be a red flag to me if indeed this is not normal practice in the U.S. i mean are they just trying to cover their asses or something??

seems off...

I am not sure, she just told me that "your going to lose more weight so in 8months your going to come back to me and want me to tuck more, because your so fresh I want to see if your WLS surgeon would rather you wait" I took it as coming from a good place without her saying you should wait to get better results? Idk I could be way off though.