What should I ask before choosing a cosmetic surgeon?

Choosing a surgeon is the first stage, and the questions you ask here shape every stage after it.

The direct answer

Ask about experience, ask about the place, and ask yourself how comfortable the surgeon makes you. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons puts the first and last of these this way. When choosing a plastic surgeon for liposuction, remember that the surgeon's experience and your comfort with him or her are just as important as the final cost of the surgery.

Questions about the place

NHS guidance, written for patients in England, covers the setting as well as the surgeon. Check the hospital or clinic is registered with the CQC, or ask them to show you its certificate.

Treat that as a pattern: ask any clinic to show you how it is registered, and expect a clear answer.

Questions about the surgeon

Ask where the surgeon trained and which board certifies the surgeon. The American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American College of Surgeons patient pages are two places to check what you hear.

What would change the answer

An office that dodges these questions changes the answer. By the society's account, experience and comfort matter as much as cost, so a low price does not make up for an answer you did not get.

The question that usually follows

Once the consultation questions are answered, the next question is what training stands behind the answers you were given.