FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How can I find out what qualifications are held by the doctor treating me?

The most common way is to obtain feedback about the doctor and their work from other patients. People’s comments are usually a good way of knowing more about the doctor who will be treating you.

The more official way is by calling the Medical Association [Colegio de Médicos] in your province and asking about your doctor’s qualifications, or you could search for your doctor in scientific and medical associations such as the Sociedad Española de Cirugía Plástica, Reparadora y Estética (SECPRE) [the Spanish Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery].

Is it possible to obtain financial assistance for surgery?

At our clinic we have a financing service that will look at your request and advise you on the best course of action according to your circumstances.

What kind of anaesthetic is used in plastic and cosmetic surgery?

It depends on the type of operation, but surgery is frequently performed with local anaesthetic and intravenous sedation, enabling us to treat patients as day cases without the need for an overnight stay in the clinic.

What is the best age for having cosmetic surgery?

It varies according to the type of pathology; for example, we prefer to perform ear pinning surgery at around 6 years of age when the cartilage is softer and to prevent children having future problems with self-esteem; in the case of breast or nose surgery, it’s better to wait until the age of 18 when the body is fully developed.

Should we believe all the advertising about revolutionary, novel and miraculous methods?

We have been practising plastic and cosmetic surgery for 20 years and we have yet to see miracles. Never trust advertisements that promise quick, miraculous, cheap fixes. They are normally only interested in attracting patients easily.

Is it true that complications never arise in this kind of surgery?

This is completely false; cosmetic surgery is a surgical procedure and therefore subject to the same complications that may arise in other specialist areas, such as general and trauma surgery. The only difference is that we normally treat healthy patients, so they are less likely to have complications.

Is it better to have laser surgery or conventional surgery?

There is nothing remarkable about the laser; it’s just a small, sophisticated tool. It’s suitable for treating a great many things in medicine, particularly things that can be burnt (like polyps, prostate, tumours, blood vessels, etc.) or cut (cornea, liver, skin, etc.). But it is not suitable for everything and it isn’t better than everything else; for example nobody would think that a breast augmentation procedure could be done with laser.

Are the materials used in plastic and cosmetic surgery safe?

All the materials used in medicine are safe. The law requires them to have certificates, marks, permits, approval, etc., issued by various governmental and EC bodies for their use in each of the countries where they are sold. They must also have gone through research and development processes in which their safety and quality are tested.

Despite all this, some materials are better quality than others. Your doctor should advise you about everything available on the market and you have to choose the material you want. It should not be the doctor who tries to convince you to have a particular kind of implant as though he or she is getting commission for selling them. The doctor’s role here is informative and of course they want to treat you with the best materials available, but he or she should never become a kind of pharmaceutical mercenary.

If I have a private medical insurance, can I have cosmetic surgery?

Private medical insurance cover is intended to look after your health. Cosmetic surgery is not a health problem and so no medical insurance policy will cover cosmetic medicine or surgery except in a few individual cases.

Is it unwise to go to centres that are not medical clinics for treatment?

I wouldn’t advise allowing yourself to be treated by people without the required qualifications for practising their profession (a degree in medicine or a particular specialist area) and it is certainly unwise to seek treatment in centres with staff who are not qualified in the field. It’s not a good idea to get treatment in centres that don’t have the minimum health standards required (parlours, hair salons, shops, gym, etc.) and you shouldn’t have any kind of surgical procedure, however minor it may seem, outside a fully equipped operating theatre based in a medical clinic with a licence issued by the health authority.

I have had a bad experience with my doctor and with the results of my surgery; what can I do?

Firstly, your doctor is responsible for your surgical procedure and he or she must monitor and follow you up until a satisfactory result is obtained from your operation or until you are discharged. The trust you place in your doctor is vital to enable you to complete your treatment satisfactorily, this is why making a good choice of clinic and doctor on your first visit is so important.

If the patient-doctor relationship breaks down for any reason, you can get a second opinion from another specialist, who must assess your case personally and offer you a reasonable solution. Every day we see more and more cases in our consulting rooms of patients who are unhappy with their initial operation and who are seeking a solution to their problem. This is why repeat surgery or re-operation is on the rise in this country.

YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT

1. THE WELCOME

When you arrive at the clinic, our receptionist Elena will ask you for your personal details and give you the data handling authorisation document for you to sign. She will then invite you to sit in the waiting room until you are called.

We try not to keep patients waiting longer than necessary and avoid inconvenient delays, but if we are running late we will keep you informed.

2. YOUR TURN

When it is your turn, our nurse Paloma will take you to the consulting room to see Dr Salvador, who will personally conduct the entire interview.

3. THE APPOINTMENT

The appointment starts with an interview in which the doctor will ask you about your personal medical and family history to find out if there is anything in your medical background that needs to be taken into account when considering your treatment or surgery.

Following this, and depending on the reason for your appointment, the doctor will perform a physical examination to assess the problem and decide on the best course of treatment for you. This would typically include shape, possible asymmetry, tissue condition, any after effects of previous treatment and so on.

The doctor will explain each detail he observes and assesses. This means that you can get an understanding of the entire process and the decisions taken from the outset.

This process is always done in front of the nurse present, who will help you all the way through, and we will naturally do our utmost to respect your privacy.

4. THE DIAGNOSIS

Dr Salvador will then make a presumed diagnosis and explain to you the best solutions for improving the problem. To do this he may use photographs of similar cases, demonstration videos, models or drawings for clarification. There are also a number of leaflets that you may find useful.

5. THE CLOSING

Lastly, the consulting team will speak to you about the financial aspect of the process along with payment or financing options and you will be offered a second appointment with the doctor to continue your treatment.

Questions you should ask your doctor:

Are you a Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery specialist?

How many years of professional experience do you have? How many procedures do you undertake per year?

Which product brands do you use and why?

What is the feedback from your patients on the results?

If you want to improve your image or if you have any request relating the techniques we apply, please do not hesitate to ask for an appointment or to contact us.
Remember we can serve you in Alicante or Torrevieja.

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