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Natural Image Orange County Cosmetic Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery

general information

Cosmetic Surgeons

Cosmetic surgeons come from several medical disciplines. They should be certified by the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS) The AACS is a professional medical society whose members are dedicated to patient safety and physician education in cosmetic surgery.

Members of AACS are dermatologic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, head and neck surgeons, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, general surgeons, plastic surgeons or ocular plastic surgeons – all of whom specialize in cosmetic surgery. AACS is the organization that represents cosmetic surgeons in the American Medical Association through its seat in the AAA House of Delegates.

Advances in Cosmetic Surgery

Today’s most advanced cosmetic surgery techniques for procedures like face lifts and liposuction have been pioneered by dermatologists. The combined expertise in caring for the skin and surgical techniques makes dermatologically trained surgeons ideal cosmetic surgeons.

Board Certification is a Key Consideration

In addition to being a member of the AACS, a surgeon should also be certified by one of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) The ABMS Boards of Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery each require completion of residency programs that include training in plastic/cosmetic surgical procedures

Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon

Choosing a doctor for any kind of surgery or healthcare need is an important decision. Patients should base their decision on the training, education, experience and demonstrated practice history of the surgeon. This criteria is most often used by hospitals in delineating clinical privileges.

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) as well as the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), promotes the appropriate delineation of clinical privileges for medical staff and qualifies practitioners based on training, experience and demonstrated competence. The American Medical Association’s (AMA’s) policy is to grant privileges in hospitals based on individual character, training, competence, experience and judgment. The AMA states that physicians representing several specialties can and should be permitted to perform the same procedures if they meet the criteria.

Misconceptions about Plastic Surgeons

Consumers considering cosmetic surgery are almost universally unaware of the difference between “cosmetic” surgery and “plastic” surgery. For this reason, they are easily mislead to believe board certification in plastic surgery is evidence of a physician’s competence to perform cosmetic surgery. It is not. With an expanding number of eager consumers who want to undergo cosmetic surgery and a highly competitive pool of physicians, it is imperative that consumers have accurate information. It is equally imperative that consumers have the freedom to choose among competitors and that the number of qualified providers is not artificially restricted. Unfortunately, the public almost universally equates cosmetic and plastic surgery as one and the same. Consumers’ misconception has them relying on incomplete and false information when choosing a physician to perform their cosmetic procedure.

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Anesthesia

Whenever you are heavily sedated or have general anesthesia, you put your life in someone else’s hands. Much of that responsibility falls to the person administering the medications and monitoring your vital signs. You need to know the qualifications of the person assuming that responsibility. Their training can range from specialization after earning a medical degree (anesthesiologists) to specialization after nursing training (nurse anesthetists) to nursing training only.

Natural Image Cosmetic Surgery Center has met and maintains stringent certification criteria from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. This hallmark of quality care ensures patient safety and unparalleled professional care.

Our highly-trained anesthesiologist ensures you receive quality care throughout your surgery.

At Natural Image Surgery Center, we work exclusively with Glen Provost M.D., an anesthesiologist who has been assisting Dr. Sikorski with cosmetic surgery procedures since 2000.

Natural Image Cosmetic Surgery is a fully-accredited, AAAHC center, with complete on-site surgery facilities. You undergo surgery, treatment and follow-up care at one location with no hospitalization required.

In some facilities, a surgeon may actually be the person administering the anesthesia medication. Dr. Sikorski never administers anesthesia since she feels it is not safe for her to try and monitor vital signs and perform surgery at the same time.

Some other facilities have nurses administering anesthesia. At Natural Image Surgery Center the only procedure where a nurse plays this role is during tumescent liposuction. The patient remains awake during this procedure and the tumescent anesthesia is injected into the areas where liposculpture will take place.

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Day of Surgery

Please arrive at our AAAHC accredited outpatient surgery center 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time. Upon arrival, a staff member will greet you and ask you to sign your surgical consent forms. These forms must be signed on the day of surgery even though you may have previously done so on your Pre-Operative visit. You will be given a surgical gown to wear, and your medical history will be reviewed. If you're a liposuction patient, a nurse will weigh you, take your pulse, blood pressure and temperature. Pre-Operative medications will be given at this time if needed.

Using a felt tipped pen, Dr. Sikorski will mark the areas of your face or body to be treated (if applicable). Your surgery will begin 30 to 60 minutes after your arrival.
If you are having sedation administered by our Anesthesiologist, Dr. Provost, he will discuss your preferences with you and will review his anesthesia technique at this time.

The surgery plan will be discussed by you and Dr. Sikorski and any last minute questions prior to the administration of any medication. The area will be marked with a sterile marking pen, outlining areas of excess skin and/or fatty tissue to be removed. You will then be asked to review these markings in a mirror for your final approval. After arriving in the operating room, the surgical site(s) will be cleaned with an antibacterial soap. Once comfortable on the operating table, the procedure will begin.

Patients undergoing IV sedation in addition to local anesthesia

You will be in a dream-like state throughout the procedure and will not feel any discomfort. In addition, you will not remember the surgery taking place.

Even though you may feel well enough to drive yourself home, this is PROHIBITED. It is very important that you have a responsible adult remain with you for the first 18 hours following your procedure. Your vision may be blurry due to eye ointments used during the procedure; this is normal and expected. In addition, most patients are medicated prior to and during surgery; you will remain groggy for several hours upon returning home. Once home, do not eat until the next day.

Begin the recommended Post-Operative care immediately after arriving home. Arrange for a driver to transport you to the Center for your first Post-Operative visit, usually 24 – 72 hours after surgery. If you wish, aftercare nurses are available for an additional charge. If you are having a facelift, an aftercare nurse will be assigned to you the first 18 hours of surgery. This service is already included as part of the procedure and there is no additional fee. In this case, a specially trained nurse will pick you up from the surgery center and remain with you attending to your every need.

Patients undergoing local anesthesia only

We recommend applying Emla Cream (a topical numbing cream) to the surgical area 1-2 hours prior to your arrival time. If you choose to do this, apply the cream in a thick layer and cover it with Saran Wrap for better penetration and efficacy. An intravenous catheter is routinely placed in your hand or arm for safety purposes. This IV access is an added precaution and provides a route for additional medications during surgery if desired. Your blood pressure, oxygen content and heart rate will constantly be monitored during surgery.

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Starting Point To Learn What's Right For You

Not sure where to start? Give us a call and chat with our patient coordinator Michelle. Call the office at (949) 448-0487 or Request a callback through this online form.

Natural Image Orange County MedCenter Cosmetic Dermatology, Medical Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic Consults with Dr. Sikorski are complimentary

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