7 Assumptions You Should Never Make About Your Surgeon in Turkey

Assumptions...

Never assume anything. It’s arguably the most important rule of investigative journalism, criminal trials and HBO finale viewings—and it also applies to plastic surgery procedures in Turkey.

In fact, you should probably approach all your medical decisions the same way a reporter would: by asking a lot of questions, even if you think you might already know the answer. What you hear may surprise you. The old “When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me” adage holds in both journalism and surgery—and well, the last place you want to risk looking like an ass is on your face.

Most Common Assumptions About Surgeons in Turkey

Below, we correct the most common assumptions patients make about surgeons in Turkey. If you make these 7 assumptions, try to keep an open mind because reality isn't always what you may assume.

Assumption #1: If They’re Performing Plastic Surgery, They’re a Plastic Surgeon

In just about every other situation in which you’re trusting someone with your life, you can count on the fact that there are rules and regulations in place to ensure that someone is qualified to be doing whatever it is they’re doing.

The guy flying the plane is a pilot, the lifeguard knows CPR, the lawyer has a law degree… basic stuff, right? Not in the plastic surgery field.

Patients often don’t realise that a physician from any area in medicine, including those with no surgical residency training, can decide to practice plastic surgery.

This is why, depending on the procedures you’re considering, it’s important to know with certainty that your physician is board-certified in plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery or oculoplastic surgery. In addition to this you need to confirm their residency and/or fellowship training.”

Assumption #2: They’ll Always Present You With Every Treatment Option

Keep in mind, however, that most doctors don’t have every possible tool in their kit and most plastic surgery issues don’t have just one solution. This is why it's recommended that you go to consultations with multiple surgeons. This data collection is done to assure consistency in medical advice/suggestions.

Surgeons could try to avoid all options because some options may be too difficult or time consuming, so they could try to cut corners in order to get your money and still offer you a service that somewhat fixes the problem. Other surgeons try to recommend treatment options which they know and are comfortable with, yet refuse to recommend you to another surgeon who may be more skilled in the procedure you need. Like all business people, surgeons don't like to lose clients to the competition. Other surgeons could believe that a radical approach could be dangerous to your health, or could have a very difficult recovery. Sometimes surgeons offer different solutions to the same problem because their experiences are different.

In the end you will have to decide which surgeon and which approach is the best option for you.

Assumption #3: They Have Your Best Interest At Heart

Thinking that a surgeon puts your well-being first can seem a bit naive. Surgeons first look out for "number one": themselves. Most surgeons try to satisfy their patients while staying out of legal trouble.

However, "staying out of legal trouble" and "looking out for your best interest" are two very different things. Misrepresenting their skill and medical knowledge in order to charge you a higher, and unjustified fee, is perfectly legal, but goes against your personal interest. Not informing you of better treatment options because the surgeon is unqualified in those treatments is also not illegal, but certainly goes against your personal interest.

Assumption #4: They Have Lots of Press, so They Must Be One of the Top Doctors

It’s more likely that they have a great PR agency. Surgeons with higher marketing budgets get more attention, but it definitely doesn't mean they are the best for any given procedure or task. Surgeons who are serious about their craft as a medical professional don't have time for social media and paid ads. Word of mouth is by far the best exposure for surgeons and if a surgeons does good work then word of mouth referrals are enough to make him known.

Assumption #5: Training in a Procedure = Specialty in a Procedure

Just because a doctor is capable of performing a certain surgery doesn’t mean they’re your best choice. After confirming your doctor is board-certified and has residency training in the procedure you’re looking to get, ask them how many they perform each year and if it’s a focus area for them.

Assumption #6: They’re Performing Your Surgery From Start to Finish

For any surgery, help is required—a surgeon cannot perform a surgery all alone. This could be as simple as having a nurse pass a surgeon tools or a resident close the sutures to letting another surgeon take over the second half. This is why it's important to ask in advance who else will be in the operating room and what portion of the procedure will actually be done by the surgeon. But don't expect an honest answer as most surgeons will comfort you by saying that they will perform the surgery alone from start to finish.

Assumption #7: They Will Say "No" If They Don't Agree With You

As we mentioned earlier, at the end of the day surgeons are business, and like most business people they don't like to lose patients to the competition. If you go to a surgeon with an extravagant request, don't assume that he will admit to not knowing how to fulfil your request, or admit to any shortcomings. The surgeon will most likely nod and smile and tell you not to worry about anything, and then do what he is most comfortable with during your surgery.

Other Pitfalls

Beyond making assumptions about surgeons in Turkey, navigating through the minefield that is surgery in Turkey, you will need a very capable surgery consultant by your side.

Benefits of Using a UK Surgery Consultant

When you find a surgery consultant that you connect with, you'll be able to feel more confident about your surgery and you'll be able to have open honest and important discussions about aesthetic goals, lifestyle, overall health and any questions or concerns that you might have. The right consultant will also outline a realistic timeline for recovery based on your medical history and help you through the recovery process.

Although we don't recommend going with a Turkish medical travel agency/consultant/booking agent because of the massive language and cultural difference you will experience with them, we do encourage you to find a UK consultant who will be able to communicate with you clearly about the level of care you can expect and who will communicate your needs to the surgeon in Turkey in order to ensure the success of your procedure.

UK medical travel consultants, like GoldenSands, can bridge the cultural and linguistic gap between you and your surgeon to make sure that both parties are on the same page. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your surgery in Turkey.