So you’ve decided to get a nose job. The next job is to find the surgeon that will meet your needs and your standards.

Once you’ve spoken with other nose job customers and have taken notes on some well-reviewed doctors, you’ll want to ask a few questions of the doctor before you make your final call on who’s going to handle your schnoz.

Some good questions to start with:

• What are your affiliations/accreditations? Obviously, your surgeon needs to have gone through the proper schooling and certifications as appropriate, but what are their other credits to their name? Doctors that are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons may have additional backing to their good name and good work. The same goes for the office that they are working from. It should be properly licensed, and additional accreditation is always a plus.
• How much experience do you have? Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor how many years he has been performing plastic surgery, specifically nose jobs, or how many years of training he has. You may even want to ask him how many they’ve performed successfully. Ask to see their catalog of before-and-after pictures.
• Am I a good candidate for this procedure? You may think that you’re ready to go, but perhaps there are things about your physical characteristics or health that make getting a nose job a sticky situation. If they are vague or you’re just unclear on their diagnosis, ask him to expand upon or clarify any answers he gives you.
• What will be expected of me? You should know what you’re going to be up against once the surgery is over, from aftercare procedures to signs of proper recovery. Asking this will also help you to inform anyone who may be helping to take care of you during this time.
• What can I expect of you? You may think you already know the answer to this, but it never hurts to ask the simple questions. Where will the procedure take place? What technique will you use on me? What will my nose look like in the end? How often will I see you afterward? It’s better to get all this information ahead of time, rather then during recovery.
• What if something goes wrong? You have to expect the unexpected, including dissatisfaction with the end result. Ask your doctor what your options are if you don’t like what you see, or if complications arise during or after the procedure.

While your nose may seem like a small part of your body, it’s often the first thing people see on your face. Make sure you do your homework so that you’ll be happy with what happens to it.

Angela Bull

Photo Credit: Brittany G