If you are searching for a plastic surgeon to perform a cosmetic surgery procedure, one very important skill to determine - once you have examined his or her background, education credentials, experience, and expertise in the procedure you require - would be: how well does he or she communicate? Are there a readiness and a willingness to explain all the options and describe the full procedure as well as answer in detail those awkward questions concerning the degree of pain or the costs involved?

In California, San Francisco Bay Area patients have found such a surgeon in Board-Certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Scott W. Mosser, a firm believer in the importance of doctor-patient communication prior to the surgery for achieving a successful outcome.

"Elimination of pain during surgery and the management of pain during recovery are both important subjects of discussion during the consultation stage," says Board-Certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Mosser.

It is a fact that as recently as twenty years ago the dangers posed by anesthetic procedures were a legitimate risk factor in deciding whether to have surgery. Although there is no longer any reason to fear modern anesthesia, Dr. Mosser understands that a full explanation of the type and technique used to administer anesthesia can go a long way towards eliminating fear and distress.

Newer and safer anesthetic drugs allow an increased degree of control of consciousness, and result in fewer side effects, both during and following surgery. Anesthetic drugs that quickly disappear from the bloodstream allow patients to go home within hours of many surgical procedures. The general estimation is that almost half of all surgeries performed now take place on an outpatient basis, in a hospital, an ambulatory surgical facility, medical clinic, or doctor's office.

According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, deaths due to anesthetic procedures in generally healthy patients have dramatically declined in the last twenty years, from 1 in 10,000 cases to a current estimate of 1 in 250,000 cases. Specialized training and the use of anesthesia simulators enable anesthesiologists to gain ongoing expertise in administering anesthesia in a computer-controlled environment without endangering patients. Safer and more effective drugs as well as sophisticated equipment and instruments for controlling delivery also play a significant part in making anesthetic procedures safe.

For a majority of plastic surgery procedures, a general anesthesia is not mandatory, and usually they do not necessitate a hospital stay. In this manner, in many cases, the patient has a choice regarding the type of anesthesia that the anesthesiologist can perform.

An experienced and Board-Certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Mosser performs a wide range of procedures at several locations in San Francisco. You may schedule plastic surgery procedures at his office at 450 Sutter Street on Union Square, as well as at the California Pacific Medical Center and St. Mary's Medical Center in San Francisco. A consultation with a Board-Certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Mosser, will arm you with all the facts you need to make an informed decision and, together with you, evaluate your personal options. This will offer you the guarantee of a successful outcome to realistic expectations, anesthesia alternatives included.