MEDIA, THE INTERNET AND COMPANIES: TAKE CARE!

WHERE TO GET RELIABLE INFO

INFORMATION AND MIS-INFORMATION

Cosmetic surgery is a very complicated combination of art and science. Every patient and every doctor is unique and so is each Doctor-patient relatienship. The big difference with other forms of medicine is that the patient makes the decision of wether to treat or not and of the kind of treatment to be used. As a result, the medical tradition of keeping patients largely in the dark about their treatment options became untenaable in the 1990's. The concommittant explosion of information via the internet mainly, resulted in a rapid spread of both myths and facts. 

The pseudo-scientific approach of commercially driven companies and practicionars led to a puzzling variety of well-intended or maliciously driven wrong information on absolutely everything on the subject. Patient forums have  become littered with pseudo-patients who post messages for or against treatments, institutuions and practicionars, not rarely paid by providers of cosmetic surgery.

This stands in stark contrast with the paucity of scientific data on the subject. There simply are no funds anywhere in the world to objectively study the outcome of the various cosmetic surgery approaches. This makes the judgement of the various treatments available extremely difficult, not just for the prospective patients, but also in the uneventful circumstances where the outcome has been unfavourable and one wants the question answered where any fault may have to be attributed.

RELIABILITY OF INTERNET INFORMATION ON PLASTIC SURGERY

WHERE TO GET YOUR INFORMATION

Of course a quick scouting of the available information can give you a fair idea of the general principles of the treatment options of your cosmetic concern. However, don't expect to find a solid answer on the detail of your treatment. You HAVE to go and see your surgeon with your questions and make up your mind ONLY after consultation with him. Particularly in the case of treatments that carry inevitably possibly serious complications.

You will take the surgeon's experience, the institution where the treatment is to take place, the eye for detail and the medical attitude during this consultation will all contribute to the fact of you will be adequately informed of the results to be expected in your particular case, any special precautions to be taken, the general risks and the possibly special risks for you. Also, there should be absolute clarity about the financial implications and all aspects of after care before you agree to treatment. 

Let your common sense prevail. My unwavering advice always is: when in doubt, leave it out!

 

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