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How do I choose a BOTOX® injection clinic?
To find a BOTOX® injection clinic in your area now, go to our doctor finder.
There are several factors you should consider before you
choose a BOTOX® injection clinic decide to go ahead with any cosmetic procedure, be it surgical
or not. A BOTOX® injection clinic will be performing a medical procedure. The seemingly easy way that BOTOX® is injected, the success and quick results tend to make one think that it is common. Please keep in mind that BOTOX® should only be administered by a qualified individual that you have researched, just like any other procedure. Choose your BOTOX® injection clinic with care.
While there are several organizations that among other things specialize in BOTOX® cosmetic Injections, such as the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the following are patient guidelines from two Plastic Surgery organizations. These organizations offer tried and true methods for making sure that you
properly research a BOTOX® injection clinic before a decision is made. The
following are two sets of guidelines from respected organizations.
1. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons'
(ASPS)
The ASPS reminds patients interested in the procedure to:
Check the BOTOX® clinic/ Physician's Credentials
Because of the complicated musculature of the human face,
potential BOTOX® injection patients should seek a plastic
surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery,
the only BOTOX® clinic/surgeons uniquely qualified to perform cosmetic
plastic surgery on the face and all areas of the body.
Seek a Complete Patient Evaluation
When a person is considering an elective medical treatment
like BOTOX® injections, he or she should consult with a physician
for an evaluation, as well as a full medical history, to
determine the most appropriate treatment.
Be Informed
Speak with others about the procedure, friends, family as
well as a physicians/BOTOX® clinic. When a treatment decision is made co-operatively
between the physician and patient, the physician should
explain the factual information about risks, benefits, alternatives,
and reasoning for the proposed treatment, after which an
Informed Consent document should be signed by the patient.
The consumption of alcohol before, during or after the medical
procedure could affect a patient's decision and outcome.
The decision to have a medical procedure should be made
without the influence of alcohol or peer pressure.
Choose an Appropriate Setting
BOTOX® injections should be performed in a setting with appropriate
medical personnel and necessary equipment to safely observe
patients and deal with potential complications, as well
as provide for the disposal of medical waste.
2. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
created the following safety guidlines in order to inform
you of considerations that need attention before any decision
is made.
Credentials:
Selected surgeons should be certified by the American Board
of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). Any doctor (even one from a nonsurgical
specialty) can legally perform surgery. On the other hand,
certification by the ABPS ensures at least five years of surgical
training, including two years of training specifically in
plastic surgery. Patients undergoing a cosmetic procedure
should select a member of the American Society for Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) to help ensure that their surgeon
has extensive cosmetic surgical experience and has met ASAPS
requirements for continuing cosmetic surgery education.
Hospital privileges:
Cosmetic plastic surgery is often performed outside the
hospital in an office-based surgical facility. Wherever
the surgery is to be performed, selected surgeons should
have hospital privileges to perform the specific procedure
in an acute care hospital.
Facilities:
Published data show that accredited office-based facilities
have a safety record comparable to that of hospital ambulatory
surgery settings. Ambulatory or office-based facilities
should be accredited by a nationally or state-recognized
accrediting agency, or be state licensed or Medicare certified.
Health:
Candidates for cosmetic surgery should be in generally good
physical health and must be candid with their physician
about any drugs they are taking. The medical history should
include hormones (oral contraceptives and estrogen replacement)
and even aspirin, vitamins, and herbal medications since
these substances can interfere with blood clotting or interact
with medications used during surgery and could increase
surgical risk.
Patient education:
Before surgery, patients should be educated about all aspects
of the planned surgery, including whether to discontinue
certain medications and stop smoking. Postoperative care
should be thoroughly discussed with the surgeon, as surgery
is not truly over until the patient is ambulatory and has
returned to a relatively normal routine.
Risks:
Most cosmetic surgery is extremely safe in the hands of
surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
However, even with the highest level of care, every surgery
carries risks as well as benefits, and these should be discussed
thoroughly before surgery is undertaken. For example, multiple
procedures performed at the same time may increase the risks
of surgery. There are risks associated with anesthesia,
analgesics and antibiotics. Smokers are at greater risk
of complications including delayed wound healing, skin loss,
scarring, and poor surgical outcome Other risks include
deep vein thrombosis (DVT) [formulation of blood clots in
the veins] and pulmonary embolism (PE) [a blood clot that
goes to the lungs preventing the lungs from exchanging air].
Factors such as general anesthesia and prolonged operating
time appear to increase the risk of DVT. Both DVT and PE
are unpredictable and can occur outside the surgical setting,
as the result of certain medical conditions or from immobilization;
for example, individuals have developed DVT following long
airplane trips.
Postoperative monitoring and home care:
In the immediate postoperative period, any patient undergoing
cosmetic surgery should be monitored by qualified medical
personnel and discharged from the surgical facility only
after evaluation by the surgeon. Usually, cosmetic surgery
is performed as an outpatient procedure; occasionally, the
surgeon may recommend an overnight stay. Patients should
arrange to have someone available for assistance for the
first day or two following surgery.
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