Whether you are considering breast reduction surgery for cosmetic or medical reasons you should always keep in mind that surgery is a major decision. Doing your research (as you are now) and choosing your breast reduction doctor carefully is extremely important to your successful breast reduction outcome.
It’s a bad idea to go into your breast reduction procedure, or any surgery, when you’re not completely sure about your surgeon’s skill, experience, aesthetic sense or credentials.
Nor should you proceed if you have a doubt about their genuine interest in your well-being.
If your confidence is low going into surgery, that feeling alone can affect your healing process. There are a lot of great surgeons in Bergen County, but the one you have the best communication with and the best connection with will be the best choice for you. This post will outline the most important credentials and characteristics to look for in your breast reduction doctor.
How to Make a Confident Decision about Breast Reduction Surgery
Having a confident and upbeat outlook, including placing trust in your surgeon’s abilities, is crucial for the best breast reduction results. Remember to take your time when making the decision to have breast surgery and when selecting your breast reduction surgeon.
Only move forward with the process when you feel that your surgeon understands your goals for the surgery and has answered all your questions completely. Ideally, your surgeon should be your partner in achieving the results you need and want from the procedure. A quality surgeon won’t rush you into a decision or answer your questions vaguely. In fact, the best plastic surgeons will only move forward once they clearly understand your goals and consider them realistic and achievable.
How to Find a Breast Reduction Doctor in Northern NJ
First, think of some clear ways to describe the result you would like to see from your breast reduction–and the problems you’re trying to solve, if any. Talk about what you are dissatisfied with and describe the improvement and/or final size or volume you’re looking for. Then, make your list of questions to ask your surgeon. We recommend including some of the questions below. Ask your surgeon:
- How many breast reductions do you perform each year?
- What will go on during the breast reduction procedure? (Is liposuction used? Will the nipples be repositioned?)
- How many incisions will be needed? How long will they be and where? (This will give you an idea about where scars will occur.)
- What can I do to help minimize scarring?
- Can you make my breasts more even in size or position? (If applicable.)
- Will the surgery eliminate my back, neck or shoulder pain? (If applicable.)
- Will the surgery’s result last a long time? Will I need to have another breast surgery, such as a breast lift, when I get older?
- Where is the breast reduction performed? Is the surgery center accredited?
- What type of anesthesia do you recommend? What are the qualifications of your anesthesiologist?
- What risks and complications are associated with anesthesia and breast reduction surgery?
- How many follow up visits will I have? Over what period of time?
- What can I expect during recovery—and how long will it take?
- When can I return to work after surgery?
- What is the total cost of a breast reduction?
Credentials to Look for in Your Surgeon
There are several traits that we recommend you look for in a breast reduction doctor. This includes:
- Being board certified by the ABPS — To learn whether your surgeon is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, searching online or call 1-866-ASK-ABMS. Some doctors list specialties on their websites, even without having a certification in that specialty. NOTE: Board certified cosmetic surgeons can be dermatologists, gynecologists or oral surgeons, for example, with only a year-long fellowship in cosmetic surgery that may NOT even include breast surgery. That is why we recommend looking for a surgeon that is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
- Holding a state licensure and a good record – You can verify this by contacting the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners online. You can search by physician name to see the doctor’s NJ Health Care Profile or call (609) 826-7100 for assistance. In the profile, you will also see other useful information, like disciplinary actions. You can find these in the state Board of Medical Examiners records online or at the state Division of Consumer Affairs and Office of the Attorney General.
- Having hospital privileges — Preferably at a well-recognized northern NJ hospital, such as Hackensack University Medical Center. Hospital operating privileges should cover breast reduction, even when you’re having surgery at another location as an outpatient. This provides another layer of security, since the hospital board has evaluated competency of the breast reduction doctor before granting them privileges.
- Having breast reconstructive experience — Breast reconstruction requires in-depth and expert knowledge of all aspects of breast function, breast health and aesthetics.
Trust your Intuition About Breast Reduction Surgery
After finding a surgeon that you believe shares your goals we recommend you ask yourself several questions. These include:
- Has the surgeon spent time with me to clearly explain the breast reduction to my satisfaction? Were they attentive to my goals and my situation or did they give generic responses?
- Was I rushed out of the office quickly? Was I rushed to make an immediate commitment to have surgery with this surgeon?
- Were the breast reduction costs explained to me? Or did the breast reduction doctor only talk about his fee? Don’t pick a breast reduction surgeon who makes cost the main point of your meeting — but do make sure there are no hidden charges.
- Am I comfortable with this surgeon?
When you choose to go forward with breast reduction surgery, select a surgeon that you feel has earned your confidence and trust.
Get a No-Charge Consultation with a NJ Breast Reduction Doctor
If you live in or near Bergen County, we’d love to speak with you about breast surgery. We offer a no-charge consultation with an expert breast surgeon to ensure that you are a good candidate. We believe that your breast surgery must be customized to your goals and health needs. At Cohen/Winters, surgery–whether aesthetic, reconstructive or a mixture of both–is our calling.
