The Surgeon Search

My first consultation is about 24 hours away. I don't know quite what to think about it. Excited anticipation and slight nervousness are the best descriptors at the moment. In many ways this might not be the best time to be considering such a drastic surgery but me being me, I have to constantly research something and this is the topic du jour. I am definitely in the information gathering stage. I suppose I could end up under the knife in two months but I'm not completely sold on the idea. This surgery is a quality of life decision and not an easy one.

It's much more difficult to find a plastic surgeon than I originally thought. My search wasn't a simple "San Diego Plastic Surgeon" google query. It took me several hours to whittle my list down to three surgeons. I'm not sure which website eventually lead me to The American Board of Plastic Surgery but that is where the search truly began.

Unfortunately you cannot search doctors by specialty. From a friend, I know that not all surgeons are created equal. Some do great tit work; others are known for their face work. Some surgeons have a passion for reconstructive surgery while other just do enhancements. If you're having your face done, you don't want the boob guy: you want the face guy. And of course, this is a two way street. My friend had her face done but she unknowingly went to the boob guy. She later discovered this from her hair stylist. These surgeons might KNOW all the procedures and yes, some might practice many, most, or all of them, but I want the surgeon who loves breasts - and not big, fake, scary boobies. I have until tomorrow morning to figure out how to question this professional to uncover just how much he loves boobs and how much care he'll put into reshaping mine.

So after I perused the A.B.P.S. website and picked out several names that sounded good (Dr. Wolf and Dr. Gold both had wonderful websites and their names seemed slightly Jewish), I called their offices. Neither take insurance. It must be awesome to be on a cash (or credit) option only basis with your patients - no insurance companies in contention with profits! Both of these doctors have websites with samples of their work on display and pictures of their spa-like offices. One of office was in La Jolla, the other in Rancho Bernardo.

[I must say I am grateful to live in Southern California while considering plastic surgery.]

Back to square one. I called my insurance. I found several names within my medical group and then crossed referenced them with A.B.P.S.. Unlike Wolf and Gold who both offer free consultations, the Scripps Group of plastic surgeons charge a $75 consultation fee. I haven't decided if this is good or bad. Fortunately for me, I have Cadillac insurance thanks to my husband's long years in graduate school and I just have to pay our standard co-pay.

Tomorrow's appointment is with Dr. S.. His picture reminds me of Dr. Janosz Poha from Ghostbusters 2 (actor: Peter MacNicol). Is that awful? He has the same lip bite thing going on and receding hairline. He was Chief of Plastic Surgery for several years. He's a Navy guy and I think that worries more than anything else. I don't need my ear sewn back on because it was blown off in combat - I want my tits done. What do Navy guys know about boobs other than they're awesome? Is he an artist with the scalpel? Will he do my ladies justice?

I also don't want to be sold on other... enhancements. I am going in for a breast reduction and don't want to be sold on the Mommy Makeover (breast reduction/lift and tummy tuck plus lipo, if "needed"). Maybe the benefit of the Scripps guy is that he won't need to sell me other... enhancements because he's more of the corporate type surgeon while the no-insurance-accepted surgeons may feel the need to enhance their revenue with extra procedures done at my expense.