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patient safety

Whether you're considering cosmetic or reconstructive plastic surgery, you need the utmost skill of an ethical, highly-trained, and experienced doctor. Their training and experience make them uniquely qualified to perform your cosmetic or reconstructive procedure.

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One of the first steps you can take toward a successful procedure is to become an educated patient. Read about patient safety and how to make smart choices about your surgeon and the facility where your procedure will be performed. Ask for before and after photos to see the kinds of improvements surgical and minimally invasive procedures can make.

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Plastic surgery encompasses both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Dr Ricardo is trained, experienced, and qualified to perform both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures on the face and all areas of the body. Because many cosmetic procedures are rooted in reconstructive plastic surgery, Dr Ricardo is one of few qualified in Dubai to handle your cosmetic needs for having a wide acknowledgment in both areas of plastic surgery.

Choose a Plastic Surgeon You Can Trust

Plastic surgery involves many choices, with the most important one being selecting a surgeon you can trust. This is an important first step in helping to assure your safety and satisfaction with your surgery.

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The largest organizations of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world, at the forefront of quality and reliability, are the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP), and the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASPS), and the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS). Dr Ricardo is board-certified by these prestigious societies and is the only plastic surgeon in Dubai who has gotten this notable achievement that designates him as an elite member of the plastic surgery community worldwide.

To become board-certified by these societies, a surgeon should meet rigorous standards:

  • Complete at least six years of surgical training following medical school with a minimum of three years of dedicated plastic surgery residency training.

  • Pass comprehensive oral and written exams.

  • Graduate from an accredited medical school.

  • Complete continuing medical education, including patient safety, each year.

  • Perform surgery in accredited surgical facilities

"Do not be confused by other official-sounding boards and certifications and do not choose your plastic surgeon by hearing about them on television, through an advertisement, or from social media influencers, usually paid by them to convince you. This does not necessarily mean they are the best for you. Also, don’t trust "celebrity doctors" who say they performed thousands of surgeries in a short period after the end of their training; most probably they are not saying the truth. Always have in mind that most of the 'sought-after celebrity plastic surgeons' know very well how to promote themselves, they are not necessarily ethical, skilled, and experienced doctors”

Surgery at an accredited facility

An accredited facility must meet strict national health authorities’ standards for equipment, operating room safety, personnel, and surgeon credentials. Plastic surgery performed in accredited facilities has an excellent safety record. Accredited facilities have been documented, through research and the compilation of required reporting by the health authorities, to have an extremely low rate of serious complications and an extremely low mortality rate.​​

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If you need to recuperate overnight or for a few days in a speciality post-surgical treatment facility, make certain that you inquire about that facility's accreditation or licensing as well. In general, accreditation or licensing of such facilities requires that:

  • You receive around-the-clock care from a minimum of two or more licensed staff members at all times.

  • At least one of the two staff members providing around-the-clock care be certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

  • Necessary equipment and medication to handle any complications are on-site.

The Dubai Health Authority requires that licensed surgeons use surgical facilities that meet established standards for equipment, operating room safety, personnel, and surgeon credentials. In general, accreditation or the equivalent requires a facility to:

  • Allow surgery to be performed only by a DHA/DHCC licensed surgeon who has privileges to perform the procedures at a local accredited hospital.

  • Provide anaesthesia by a DHA/DHCC licensed anesthesiologist.

  • Maintain a staff of licensed nurses who are trained in ACLS and recognize the signs of cardiac or respiratory distress.

  • Adhere to all local and national regulations including sanitation, fire safety, and building codes.

  • Adhere to all federal laws and Health Authorities regulations including blood-borne pathogens and hazardous waste standards

  • Use and practice advanced monitoring for patient safety during surgery and immediate recovery.

Your Health and Safety

Before undergoing surgery requiring sedation or general anaesthesia, a full medical history including diagnostic tests is recommended. Part of this medical history requires that you provide candid answers to questions about your general state of health, including:

  • Full disclosure of health history including any illness, prior surgery of any kind, and complications from prior surgery.

  • All types of allergies and any reaction to prior anaesthesia.

  • Current medications, the use of vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.

  • The use of oral contraceptives by women.

Before surgery, you must follow all of your Dr Ricardo's instructions. This may include:

  • Cessation of smoking.

  • Stop taking certain types of medications that may increase your risk of abnormal bleeding.

  • Avoid eating or drinking anything within a defined period before surgery on the day of surgery.

Follow all postoperative instructions carefully, including cleansing and at-home treatment regimens, and avoid sun exposure. Your cooperation will influence the outcome of your surgery.

Risks and Safety of Plastic Surgery

The decision to have plastic surgery is extremely personal and you'll have to decide if the benefits will achieve your goals and if the risks and potential complications are acceptable. Dr Ricardo will explain in detail the risks associated with surgery. You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure you will undergo and any risks and potential complications.

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Be sure to ask questions: It's very important to ask Dr Ricardo questions about your procedure. It's natural to feel some anxiety, whether it's excitement about your anticipated new look or a bit of preoperative stress. Don't be shy about discussing these feelings with him.

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The partnership with your plastic surgeon doesn't end once your surgery is completed. The relationship you establish with your surgeon will continue. While the results of many plastic surgical procedures are often permanent, there can be changes as you age or due to other circumstances. That's why it is suggested that you maintain a regular schedule of follow-up examinations.

Questions to Ask Your Plastic Surgeon

You'll achieve the best results from plastic surgery if you and your plastic surgeon communicate openly and work together to achieve realistic goals. An understanding of your goals, expectations, and motivation is essential to a successful partnership between you and your surgeon, helping both of you to determine whether plastic surgery is the right choice for you. Use this checklist as a guide during your consultation:

  • Are you certified by the most important plastic surgeries societies in the world?

  • Were you trained in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery?

  • How many years of plastic surgery training have you had?

  • How many years of experience in plastic surgery do you have?

  • Do you have hospital privileges to perform this procedure? If so, at which hospitals?

  • How many procedures of this type have you performed?

  • Am I a good candidate for this procedure?

  • Do I have any options other than surgery?

  • Where and how will you perform my procedure?

  • How long of a recovery period can I expect, and what kind of help will I need during my recovery?

  • Will there be any visible scarring following the procedure?

  • How can I minimize any scarring?

  • Will I need time off work?

  • What are the risks and complications associated with my procedure?

  • How are complications handled?

  • What are my options if I am dissatisfied with the outcome of my surgery?

  • Do you have before-and-after photos I can look at for each procedure and what results are reasonable for me?

Dangers of Plastic Surgery Tourism

We've seen a rise in the number of people travelling abroad to have plastic surgery. The cheaper costs may be tempting but consider the risks. Plastic surgery is best performed by a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon, licensed by the Health Authorities of the United Arab Emirates.

Five things you should know about plastic surgery tourism:

​1. Cosmetic surgery is real surgery and has some risks: every surgery, including cosmetic surgery, has some risks involved. These risks may increase during vacation-related plastic surgery.

​2. Vacation-related activities may compromise your health after having a procedure: cosmetic surgery trips are marketed as vacations, but vacation activities should be avoided after surgery to ensure proper healing and reduce the risk of complications.

3. Travel + surgery significantly increase the risk of complications: Did you know that long flights or surgery can increase the potential risk of developing pulmonary embolism and blood clots?

4. You may not be legally protected in the UAE: there are no laws that protect patients or mandate the training and qualifications of physicians who perform plastic surgery outside the UAE. There may be no legal recourse if surgical negligence occurs.

5. Bargain surgery may not be a bargain: patients can incur additional costs for revision surgeries and complications that may total more than the cost of the initial operation if originally performed in the UAE.

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