What exactly is cosmetic surgery and what do you need to know about it? This type of surgery is a procedure that will change they way you look. Many people, mostly women, have cosmetic surgery to enhance their physical appearance. Because it is not considered a necessary surgery, it is very possible that your insurance will not cover this type of surgery. The exception to this is when cosmetic surgery is necessary due to an accident, injury or birth defect. Cosmetic surgery is any surgical procedure that is designed to enhance your physical appearance. Common cosmetic surgery procedures are liposuction, breast enhancement, nose jobs, face lifts and tummy tucks.

It is important to realize that cosmetic surgery will change the outside person, but may not change the inside person. Of course, this all depends on the surgery and the reasons why you are having cosmetic surgery to begin with. If you have had a defect all your life and have the surgery to correct this defect, there is a good chance that you will have such a boost to you self esteem that your whole personality changes. How cosmetic surgery affects your personality and the extent to which it affects your personality will depend on many factors.

A cosmetic surgeon is a doctor who has undergone specialized training in either plastic or cosmetic surgery. It is best, when choosing a doctor, to always make sure they have been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) or the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS). The doctor should be able to back this up by documentation that is in plain site in their office.

Here are some questions to ask when interviewing surgeons.

How many times have you performed this procedure?

For what amount of time have you been performing this procedure?

Will my insurance cover all or part of the costs?

What complications and risks are associated with this procedure?

How should I prepare for this?

What is the best case scenario I can expect?

What is the worst case scenario I can expect?

How long will my recovery time be?

How much pain will I be in and for how long?

What follow-up treatment will I need?

Is the follow-up treatment included in the price?

Will I require any prescription drugs?

What is the cost?

Do you have references I can check?

Do you have before and after pictures of other clients?

It is very typical for cosmetic surgery doctors to have before and after pictures of other patients. These patients have, of course, given their permission to have their photos available for prospective patients to view. Hey, you could even ask for a discount if you allow your photos to be used by the surgeon to show to other patients.

Before you have any type of cosmetic surgery you should have a heart to heart conversation with your surgeon about the reasons you want to have a procedure done. Make sure to discuss with your doctor what your expectations are and listen to what your doctor tells you about what you can expect. You want to be very sure that you are doing this for the right reasons and also that you know all you possibly can about what to expect as an outcome of the procedure. Your doctor will be able to help you decide if you are doing this for the right reasons and also if your expectations are realistic. It is a fact that the lives of most people to not really change after having cosmetic surgery.

One thing is for sure, cosmetic surgery is not something that should be rushed into. You should take you time, save some money, ask around for referrals and make sure that you totally understand what you are getting into before any type of surgery. This is very important because you will have to live with the results of your cosmetic surgery for the rest of you life.

I know it sounds as though I am trying to talk you out of having cosmetic surgery. I am just making sure that you really take your time and consider all the angles before you go through with such a procedure. For some people it is not a difficult decision at all because they may have some sort of deformity from birth or from an accident. In that case there is not a lot to think about except for cost and finding a good surgeon., However, for others if it is a face life or fixing a nose, it may not be such an easy decision to make. You will do well to do your homework so that this is a good, sound decision that you will not regret.