A good cosmetic surgeon will take your reasons for surgery into consideration and will be honest about the risks. Are you sure the risks outweigh the potential benefits? What, if any, follow up will be done by the surgeon? Will the doctor make adjustments if needed? How will complications be handled? How much time will you need to recover and what are the expected side effects of surgery?

Another important consideration you should carefully examine is your reason for plastic surgery.

Although the makeovers on television may give the impression that cosmetic surgery can improve the quality of your life it is vitally important that you have a realistic outlook on the impact of surgery.

When discussing cosmetic surgery with a doctor, they should also tell you the options that are available and any alternatives to surgery. You shouldn't be pressured into unnecessary surgery. An informed consent document should be signed prior to surgery.

Fourthly, since not all surgical procedures need to be preformed in a hospital, another critical part of your research should be to thoroughly investigate the accreditation of your surgeon. You should check to make sure that your plastic surgeon is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons (ABPS) or a similar a organization in your country.

Ask the surgeon if they have hospital privileges. Having hospital privileges means that a hospital committee has approved the doctor's training and competency to meet their criteria for performing a similar operation in their facilities. Also, even if your surgery is performed in an office, verify that there will be appropriate medical personnel on hand and that the facilities are clean and medical waste is properly disposed of.