Even though the economy has been suffering, the number of people receiving cosmetic or plastic surgery has increased and is still on the rise. Knowing about these plastic surgery mistakes that no one talks about is more important than ever. So if you are considering or have decided to go forward with a cosmetic procedure, you will want to know about these mistakes which can leave you with less than desirable results!

Mistake #1: You don’t check your doctor’s credentials. Advertisements for Botox and fillers can be seen all over the place. For example, you might be at your annual eye exam, and you notice that your eye doctor now offers Botox injections for crow’s feet. Don’t assume that just because your doctor is a doctor, that they are capable of performing cosmetic procedures. Most people don’t know this, but any MD can claim to be surgeon. Due to increasing monetary incentives, the numbers of doctors claiming to be surgeons is increasing. Make sure your plastic surgeon isn’t just a doctor, make sure that whoever you are trusting to perform cosmetic procedures is properly certified. You should only trust a surgeon who has training for cosmetic surgery and procedures.

Mistake #2: You go to an untrustworthy MedSpa. “In a 2008 survey by the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, more than 75 percent of doctors said that they knew of a medical spa with a medical director who was nowhere to be seen — not on-site performing, or even overseeing, medical procedures.” Do you really want your face injected with fillers or botox by an untrained or poorly trained person without proper supervision? Even nurses (though not nurse practitioners) require physician supervision! Do you really want to receive local anesthesia without someone properly credentialed and certified overseeing the process? In some instances, patients have become horribly disfigured because they received improper treatment. Saving time by not having a full medical history taken for every new patient is never the right thing to do. The risks of trying to save a little bit of money seem too great; I would much rather pay more and be able to fully trust my facial plastic surgeon. If you are seeking to receive treatments at a MedSpa, do your research! Legit MedSpa’s have a board certified surgeon on site performing cosmetic procedures or overseeing them.

Mistake #3: You lie about smoking. If you are receiving a cosmetic procedure, don’t lie to your surgeon. Your doctor needs to know your complete medical history to prevent anything that might go wrong. For example, if you are a heavy smoker, you may have low oxygen content in the blood. This can cause your wound to heal poorly or even to separate, and your surgeon needs to be able to take account all these factors to determine if you are a good candidate for a procedure.

Mistake #4: You don’t tell your doctor about the medicines or supplements you are taking. Many people think “why do I need to tell my doctor that I’m taking Omega 3 supplements? It’s okay; it’s for my skin, it’s not important.” However, what you don’t know is that Omega 3 can cause bleeding if taken in doses greater than 3 grams a day. This will definitely affect you if you have a procedure done. So make sure you tell your doctor everything that you are taking, including over the counter medications such as aspirin/ibuprofen (also increase bleeding potential!), vitamins, and supplements. And I mean everything, even if you take those gummy vitamins once a day, what’s the harm in making sure your doctor is aware of your complete medical background? It can only help!