Once you have made the decision to have rhinoplasty, you still have to complete the task of finding a great plastic surgeon who can perform the procedure for you. Selecting a plastic surgeon can be both fun and challenging. Fun because you literally get to find the person who is going to help you reshape your nose, and challenging because there is a pool of thousands of plastic surgeons in the United States from which to choose.

Narrow Down Your List of Surgeons

If you live in a major metropolitan area, it is likely that you will have dozens of rhinoplasty surgeons to choose from, if not more. If, on the other hand, you live in a smaller town or city, there may be only a few. (If you live in a rural part of the country, you may have to travel some distance from your home to find a qualified plastic surgeon to perform your rhinoplasty. Be sure to factor this travel into the overall cost of your procedure.) Once you have a list of all of the rhinoplasty surgeons who are available to you, you can begin to narrow it down by doing some research. Find out if which doctors have the most experience. Are any of them on prestigious medical boards? Have any of them won awards? Also, if your health insurance company is going to cover all or part of the cost of your surgery, you may need to choose a doctor within your insurance network.

Word of Mouth

Have you heard about a great rhinoplasty surgeon in your area? Do you know someone, perhaps a friend or relative, who has had rhinoplasty? If so, ask them about their experience. If you keep hearing good things about one or two doctors, be sure to closely consider them as candidates to perform your rhinoplasty. Furthermore, ask your primary care physician if he or she knows of anyone in the area who is known for doing great rhinoplasty work.

Portfolios

Once you have a list of just a few surgeons you are considering for your rhinoplasty, do some close research on their work. Many plastic surgeons have websites where you can view before and after photographs of patients who have undergone this procedure. If the surgeon or surgeons you are interested in do not have websites, they probably have portfolios you can peruse in their offices. It is important to look at these photos for a number of reasons. First of all, you can make your own assessment of the surgeon’s work. You can see if the results look natural and are flattering to the patient’s face. Furthermore, viewing these images will help you to develop a realistic expectation for your own nose.

The Consultation

Many plastic surgeons offer consultations free of charge. Deciding who is going to work on your nose can be both difficult and emotional. If you have the chance to consult with a few different surgeons, you will be able to get a better idea of what each doctor offers. You will be able to get a feel of how accomplished and able the doctor is.

You can also simply decide which doctor you feel most comfortable with for your rhinoplasty procedure. For more information on rhinoplasty doctors in your area, and to research surgeons who offer free consultations, visit http://www.docshop.com

Your Surgical Schedule

Once you have chosen a doctor for your rhinoplasty surgery and had your initial consultation, you will need to schedule the procedure. Based on how busy your surgeon is, you may have to wait for many months before you can have your rhinoplasty procedure. Even if you are very keen to get your new nose quickly, remember that the busiest doctors are often the best.