It can be a confusing process for a patient looking for the right surgeon to perform the needed operation. This is especially true in the realm of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery since there are so many different types of physicians from which to choose. As a potential patient, one must keep in mind the area on the body and the nature of the surgery is considered and then seek the surgeon whose training background is best suited for the individual situation.
Facial plastic surgeons focus on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, head, and neck. Specialization in these areas assures the patient that the most experienced and well-trained physician is performing this type of surgery.
Facial plastic surgeons are typically board certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology, the nation’s second oldest medical examining board and one of 23 boards approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Their otolaryngology background means they have undergone at least four years of devoted study and surgical training to the anatomy and function of the face, head, and neck. Facial plastic surgeons then expand upon this invaluable foundation with an additional fellowship devoted solely to cosmetic and reconstructive procedures of the face, head, and neck.
The American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery qualifies, reviews, and certifies surgeons who perform facial and reconstructive surgery. By the time the facial plastic surgeon has completed training, he or she has finished at least nine years of graduate education to become a facial plastic surgeon.
Facial Plastic Surgery Information Service
1-800-332-3223
202-842-4500
Most important in your decision to pick a surgeon is a sense of trust. As a patient, you are putting your trust in the hands of a person you probably do not know very well. You need to feel confident that your surgeon can be trusted to provide the best service of which he or she is capable, to be honest with you in setting expectations for the outcomes of surgery, and to stick with you after surgery to help you get through the recovery period or any difficulties you may experience.
If you get a sense that your surgeon is a poor listener or seems uncaring of your needs, chances are that this is not a good choice for you. These are qualities that Dr. Sidle prides himself on and that underscore his practice philosophy.
Not only is this possible, but is also the desired goal of most procedures in Dr. Sidle’s office. Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who have undergone cosmetic procedures who now have obvious changes to their appearance that make them look unnatural.
While this may be desirable for certain individuals, most people would prefer that the improvements gained by facial plastic procedures be subtle and harmonious with the rest of their face and body. Most individuals do not want to have facial features that advertise to the world, “I have had plastic surgery.” Dr. Sidle believes that surgery should not be overdone so the changes in appearance are improvements look like they belong to the patient, rather than been put there. He wants to create a pleasing look the patient could bear with.
He achieves this goal through careful analysis of each patient’s unique physical features and conservative meticulous surgical approach.
Dr. Sidle provides an assortment of minimally invasive procedures that can provide cosmetic improvements with little to no downtime. These procedures are performed with the patient awake in the office setting. A list of such procedures follows:
Since the majority of facial plastic operations occur on an outpatient basis, most patients can go home the same day of their operation. Nonetheless, there will likely be a recovery period of a few days following surgery. The duration of recovery will depend on the type of surgery that was performed.
In most cases, patients can resume work or school within a week and get back to most physical activities within a few weeks.
With recent advances in anesthesia, operating room monitoring, and pre-operative testing, the risks of surgery have become considerably smaller. For a healthy individual, it is probably riskier driving in a car than going under anesthesia. Surgical risks related to the operation itself vary depending on the type of procedure performed.
In general, insurance will not cover a procedure that is fully cosmetic in nature. Insurance companies, however, do generally cover some or all of the costs for operations designed to improve the function of the patient (for example to improve nasal breathing, to improve visual fields, etc.)
Some procedures performed by Dr. Sidle have both functional and cosmetic components. In these situations, the functional part of the procedure is billed to the insurance company.
