Tummy Tuck Forum - My Surgeon Does Not Keep Before After Photos, should I worry?

[DrBermant]

Hello
 
I am having a tummy tuck on June -- ----. I have researched on the surgeon and everything seems fine my only problem is that he doesn’t keep before and after pictures of his procedures, should I be worried
 
Thank you

This should not be construed as medical advice. I am a retired Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

To become Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery Inc. cases showing careful photographic documentation are required of each candidate to evaluate their skills and test their knowledge.

I do not understand your question. I have posted so many resources on why I feel before and after pictures are so important and critical to understand a surgeon's sculpture skills. The question becomes if someone does not keep such images or videos, why? I used my photos to document the problem, result, path to recovery, and learn to be a better surgeon.

How to Pick Your Plastic Surgeon

How to Pick Your Tummy Tuck Surgeon

How to Use Before and After Pictures

How to Evaluate Surgeons' Before after Tummy Tuck Pictures

I have spend so many years showing why photos and videos tell the story of the problem and solution. I do not understand how anyone could feel comfortable without such documentation. That is why I spent so much of my time showing my patients my efforts and thoughts. I was trying to minimize the unknown and go into much more detail in the resources listed. Yes, I do believe in what I have written and efforts I have dedicated years of effort in sharing about the importance of a sculptor showing their documented works of art. Yet not all patients permit their images to be used. Doctors have to start somewhere. It would be interesting to better understand why some surgeon does not keep the images or what such images would reveal.

Have you looked Is Your Doctor Board Certified? If so in what boards? If not in Plastic Surgery, does that specialty require similar photographs as part of their candidate evaluations?  If a Plastic Surgeon, why did they stop such documentation?

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Retired Plastic Surgeon
Learn More About Tummy Tuck Abdominoplasty Surgery

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[DrBermant]

@DrBermant - great response to the original poster in this forum. we agree that video and pics are important documentation.

This should not be construed as medical advice. I am a retired Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

Thank you for your comment. Why not join us. So much more can be said on this forum with links to back up concepts. The links can provide the reader proof behind the statement. Tweets are nice, but lack the space to fully explain issues. I use my tweets to inform the public of these discussions so they can participate, offer their views and experiences about choice of tummy tuck surgeon.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Retired Plastic Surgeon
Learn More About Tummy Tuck Abdominoplasty Surgery

[DrBermant]

@DrBermant Oh boy! I would worry!

This should not be construed as medical advice. I am a retired Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

Why not join our forum and expand on your answer. Posts here can say so much more than a tweet.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Retired Plastic Surgeon
Learn More About Plastic Surgery

[DrBermant]

@DrBermant in consult, i would want to know & see skills of the surgeon; as a patient i want documentation of my tummy tuck surgery...

@DrBermant - i understand the concern for patient privacy, but i would still be concerned if dr wouldnt document work through pics

This should not be construed as medical advice. I am a retired Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

Thank you for your reply. Why not join us to expand your concerns. Tweets, are so limited in scope, yet can be used to spread the core issues directing to the discussion about Before After Photographs.

Privacy issues were easy for still photos. Obscuring the head on the videos was more or a challenge. We messed out the powerful tool of facial expressions. I remember the fantastic and powerful smiles and facial emotions that privacy issues did not permit me to share. T here was also a great performance of a belly dancer after her surgery. She sent me the video, but i could not share it. What a superb demonstration of recovery. The power of the surgical sculpture enabling the emotional comfort of a patient's art form of dance, brings back fond memories. While not the performance video, Tummy Tuck Belly Dancer. Start on that page for the sitll images, then see each subsequent page including the videos for comprehensive documentation of problem, result and recovery path to get there.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Retired Plastic Surgeon
Learn More About Plastic Surgery