Do Plastic Surgeons Turn Down Patients with Unrealistic Expectations?
Surgeons are responsible for ensuring that they treat only patients who have realistic expectations
Although it will often come as unwelcome news, surgeons do reserve the right to decline service for patients who are not suitable surgical candidates. While the primary purpose of a consultation is for patients to ask questions and discuss their desired results, it is also an opportunity for the surgeon to ensure that their patient is a good match for the procedure. The following factors will be taken into account when meeting with Toronto Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Cory Torgerson.
The primary purpose of a consultation is for patients to ask questions and discuss their desired results
Unattainable Results
If a surgeon feels that the result a person expects to achieve is unrealistic, they will first attempt to fill in the knowledge gaps by clearly explaining the procedure and purpose, contrasted with what outcomes are not realistic and should not be expected. Patients who hope to drastically change their appearance or are seeking perfection are not suitable cosmetic surgery candidates. If the patient is not willing to realign their expectations with what their surgeon is offering, then it is best for the surgeon to decline treatment.
State of mind
During the consultation, the surgeon will also consider the patient’s reasons for the procedure. Patients who are in the midst of a life crisis or are considering surgery to please a partner are considered to be at a high risk for dissatisfaction post-op. Cosmetic surgery will never resolve underlying mental or emotional problems. Likewise, individuals who hope to replicate the appearance of a celebrity are carefully questioned and assessed by their plastic surgeon because those types of goals can certainly represent unrealistic expectations. Thus, surgeons who have their patient’s best interest in mind may turn down these people.
Your overall health plays an important role in the results
Health risks
In some instances, a patient’s expectations for their plastic surgery procedure are unrealistic due to health risks. Your overall health plays an important role in the results achieved as well as the minimization of health risks. In some instances, surgeons may turn down patients who smoke, suffer from heart conditions, high blood pressure, or circulatory issues, or individuals who are taking blood-thinning medication. Obesity is known to increase morbidity rates in surgical patients and can slow or impair healing, so each individual’s health picture and BMI (body mass index) will factor in their suitability for surgery. If a surgeon feels that a patient’s health will negatively impact the outcome of the procedure, they will not in good conscience advise them to proceed.
Carefully selecting the right plastic surgeon in Toronto is a crucial part of planning for your procedure. Likewise, experienced, qualified, and certified surgeons will be honest and transparent when explaining all of the considerations and potential risks for each patient. They, just like you, are interested in the best possible outcomes. Patients who have been turned down by one or more plastic surgeon should be very wary of anyone who is willing to perform a procedure that other surgeons have labelled unrealistic, as such procedures run a high risk of being unsafe or creating disappointing results.
During your initial consultation, Dr. Cory Torgerson, one of Toronto’s best plastic surgeons, will listen to your goals for cosmetic surgery. To ensure that you are a good candidate for the procedure and that your desired results are attainable, Dr. Torgerson will explain any potential limitations.
Additional Articles
State-Of-The-Art Surgical Facility
Our facility offers a luxurious, comfortable and private setting for consultations and surgery with a waiting room that is both spacious and inviting. Although we hope you don’t have to spend too much time waiting to see Dr. Torgerson, within a few minutes you will feel relaxed and at ease.
*Disclaimer: Similar and/or permanent results are not guaranteed based on the treatment/procedure and may vary from patient to patient, based on multiple factors, including genetics and lifestyle of each patient.*
Please note that the Medicine Act, 1991, Part II: Advertising Regulations restricts and regulates advertising by physicians in Ontario. Compliance with these regulations restricts advertising and promotional content. Accordingly, the content of this website is intended for educational and informational purposes only, as the internet is an electronic information system and you are viewing this page unsolicited.
*If you require any further information to learn how our office is fully compliant with Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act, please contact us to connect with our Health Information Custodian.