Looking at Before and After Pictures

We all know that researching your cosmetic surgeon is critical for the outcome of your procedure and safety. Elective surgery involves some risk, just as any other surgery does. Of course you want the best outcome as well. One thing you should do is ask how often and how recently your surgeon has performed the procedure you are seeking. Another thing you will want to do is to look at his or her portfolio, the before and after pictures of patients he has operated on. But how do you know what to look for in these pictures?

First of all, to confirm your surgeon’s experience, think about how many photographs are available for you to look at. Don’t be afraid to ask to see quite a few. You can start by looking at the Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center photo gallery on our website, for instance. There is a full gallery of before and after examples for you to inspect. You also might notice the quality of the photography. Notice how we are careful to keep the picture free of distracting elements such as clothing, accessories, or hair obscuring the targeted area, how the background is the same in each picture and free of distracting elements. The pose will also be the same in both pictures. The area of the procedure should be clearly visible and the lighting should be the same in both pictures.

Feel free to ask about the photographs too. Look at the variety of patients. If you are male, you will want to see the results on male patients. You may want to be sure your surgeon has worked with your skin type, age group, or your ethnicity. Feel free to ask about photographs of procedures when you do not see what you are looking for, or to ask to see more. You will also want to know what previous patients have to say about the results. Ask for references. At Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center, we have accrued many patients over the years who are willing to talk about their experience of the procedure you want.

As an aside, before and after photographs of cosmetic procedures do not look like glamour shots. Professional photographers often airbrush pictures in Photoshop or another program. Don’t forget, even movie stars do not look like movie stars in real life. Make-up and Photoshop do a lot to enhance or change a person’s looks. When you look at before and after pictures of cosmetic surgery procedures, you are seeing the real person and real results, so look for contour lines, skin texture, symmetry and proportion, not a movie star. The good news is that this will help you develop realistic expectations for your own goals.

Call Melinda at the front desk to set up a consultation at 501 277