In today’s era of global connectivity, information on any topic, including Plastic Surgery advice, can be found in abundance.
Take YouTube for example. You can learn a range of skills on YouTube, from ironing a T-shirt to taming a bull. This easily accessible information has made our lives infinitely easier. And today we are able to solve nearly every problem with the click of a button.
The Downside to Information Overload
Most of us see abundant information as a blessing. However, sometimes businesses and individuals can misuse this overload of information as well.
We tend to trust everything we see on YouTube, especially if the content is well put together. In some cases, marketers use our reliance on internet information to promote businesses and brands.
Plastic Surgery Advice on YouTube
Today, videos documenting Plastic Surgery procedures and a patient’s transformation are being viewed by the world over. Most of these clips may be intended as a form of marketing but some viewers regard them as educational videos
Here are a few other reasons why you should not get Plastic Surgery advice from YouTube.
1. Individualized Procedure
Most Plastic Surgery videos on YouTube, whether it’s a nose job or a tummy tuck, depict the transformation of one patient. They usually include interviews of both the patient and a doctor. The Plastic Surgeon in the video explains how he/she went about the procedure. Additionally, he/she shows how certain aspects of the procedure are absolutely vital to its success.
But when you are opting for Plastic Surgery the Plastic Surgeon needs to visit you. Each individual is blessed with a different body type, health characteristics, and expectations, and what works well for someone else may not be right for you.
So simply going for the procedure performed on another patient on YouTube can be questionable, to say the least.
2. Lack of Credentials
Researchers at Rutgers Medical University in New Jersey conducted a study to check whether Plastic Surgery information on YouTube was factual or not. The results they found were startling.
Of the 240 most-watched YouTube videos on Plastic Surgery, they found that only a handful had medical specialists certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by the American Board of Medical Specialties. And of the handful of Plastic Surgeons that did appear in videos, many of them weren’t qualified to perform the cosmetic surgery procedures in other words they were general surgeons, dermatologists, gynecologists, and even general practitioners.
The spread of information in Plastic Surgery videos may or may not apply to an individual patient. This is a significant issue when you consider the number of people watching them. In fact, many Plastic Surgeons today have reported patients coming into their offices with a fixed mindset of how their procedure should be conducted. Often, patients ask for complicated processes that may not be necessary at all.
3. It’s Marketing Over Education
Many of the surgery videos YouTube offers seem educational but are often just a marketing tool. With today’s editing software, it’s easy to include clips from renowned Plastic Surgeons, making them seem to endorse a specific technique.
In reality, a company may just want to advertise their Plastic Surgery practice. And including these clips might allow it to gather a much larger audience.
4. YouTube Can’t Answer Your Questions
Every Plastic Surgery procedure is different. Even in one type of procedure, the preparation, operation, methods, and recovery practices will differ from patient to patient. In this regard, YouTube offers almost no information when it comes to understanding your own body type. You will not learn how you will be affected by a particular procedure.
In the real world, you can talk to Plastic Surgeons in your area about any doubts you may have about the surgery. Your Plastic Surgeon will help you select the right procedure based on your lifestyle, work schedule, body weight, and other factors.
YouTube, on the other hand, will only give you a general description of the type of procedure you’re opting for. It’s not personalized and is of little use for something as personal as Plastic Surgery.
5. Pricing Is Quite Different
Finally, most videos on YouTube give a mere indication of the Plastic Surgery prices offered in the market. They usually have a ‘doctor’ stating that a procedure will cost anywhere between X amount and Y amount.
While this is partially true, these videos often fail to take into account the charges of the equipment involved, the operating room, and any add-on procedures that may be required in conjunction to the one you’re opting for.
Of course, watching a video may give you a basic idea of how much you’ll have to pay. However, it’s usually not a consolidated price that includes all the factors mentioned above.
Additionally, some practices offer Plastic Surgery financing options that you may not be aware of. Speaking to a Plastic Surgeon in person will help you sort out a payment method that works for you, and that’s not something YouTube can do.
Get Real Plastic Surgery Advice
Plastic Surgery of any kind is a delicate and often life-changing experience and should not be taken lightly. Do your homework online, but be sure to get out there and meet the actual Plastic Surgeons in your area.
This will give you a more wholesome picture of what to expect. And the more real information you have, the more satisfied you will be with the results of your Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Rosso is one of the leading Plastic Surgeons in the South Bay and performs a large number of Neck and Lower Facelift surgeries. He has been voted 2018 Daily Breeze South Bay’s Favorite and 2017 Best of the Beach and the Peninsula Plastic Surgery doctors and staff have been awarded the 2018 Spectrum Award for Customer Service Excellence.