As part of the relationship between Plastic Surgeon and patient, there is a certain piece of you that goes into every surgery.  A patient entrusts you with their dreams and expectations, and shares very personal thoughts with you.  They are vulnerable, baring secret fears and complexes sometimes hidden from their significant other and family.

As for me, I must allow them to know my philosophy on cosmetic plastic surgery, reveal my work in the form of before and after photos, and face the possibility of rejection by the patient for whatever reason.  As such, I must trust my patients.

Patients can feel very vulnerable and unattractive in the healing period following plastic surgery, especially if they do not have a good supportive social network around them.  When they have a jealous friend or family member or an abusive spouse, it is even worse.  It is hard enough to recover in the best of situations.

I always make myself available to my patients for whatever may arise physically or medically following the procedure.  I have a 24 hour service to contact me at any moment in case of emergency.  Most patients respect this.

I also try to be supportive emotionally, which can be a more delicate situation.  The changes in body image can be dramatic, and take a while to adjust to for some people.  My clinical staff and I  try our best to comfort and listen to patients who might need a boost, but it can go too far.

Calling the emergency line at midnight 2 years after a surgery because you feel one breast is bigger than the other is not okay.  Usually, it is a fight with a boyfriend or a traumatic stressor,  but this is not an after hours necessity. I have a pain for the last 2 months and I will only talk to the doctor personally on a Sunday is asking too much.  Call and make an appointment to come in.  I do not charge.

If you choose Yager Esthetics for Plastic Surgery, I promise to do my best to deliver what surgery can.  The relationship and anxiety issues require a different specialist, and I am happy to refer you.