Questions? Presurgery Wax and Lymphatic (sp?) massages ??

Oh I hear ya Panda.  I got a bikini wax once -- never again!  I asked my surgeon about shaving and he said they would use clippers (sounds like they are doing a hedge doesn't it).  Anytime I have surgery I sort of groom it up (in the words of Larry the Cable guy).  Even if they are doing surgery on my face I don't want to look like a slob when they put the catheter in.

Red

"For anyone traveling for surgery..did you get legs/bakini area waxed before surgery since we can't/won't feel like shaving after? "

The OP did.  It seems to me that the issue would be waxing itself .... this person seemed concerned about waxing and its implications for "traveling for surgery" -- her words, not mine.

Your interpretation is different than mine like always.  I took it that she asked if we got waxed before we had surgery, but she never asked if we got waxed after we traveled and before surgery. I don't think she is worried about traveling for surgery after she was waxed!

Ok ok, you can stop being such a plastic surgery elitist. We get it - you don't agree with OOC plastics.

I don't disagree that great choices can be made for out-of-country plastics (or any other surgery).  After all, it's an immense globe, and there are over six billion people on the planet.  When people in other parts of the world have surgery, odds are -- it isn't in the United States!  

What I really DO disagree with, is that people shop for surgical procedures online, as if they were shopping for a pair of shoes.  They frequently check for price, and they ask for popular opinions, without giving much consideration to whether the product or service is really the same, and without asking themselves -- are the opinions they're getting really all of equal value, themselves?

There are many posters here on these boards who are asking a total stranger to inject them with chemicals, sedate them, carve them up, and sew them back together -- on little more recommendation than a frequently seen name, and the say-so of people who they don't know, and who may -- or may not -- have any knowledge about surgery or after care.

I find that shocking.

I love myself, I really truly do.  And because I'm a wife and a mom and a teacher, I ask myself -- based on the information I have, would I choose this provider for my own spouse or child or student?  On what merit do I make this choice?  Why do I believe this person is qualified?

And if the only reason I have for choosing someone is that I saw the name repeated many times on an anonymous message board -- why, I just smack myself upside the head with a rolled up newspaper.  

I would no more choose a surgeon for myself, than I would for my kids, based on specious information.  And that is precisely what many people here are doing.

Want less-expensive plastics overseas?  Kewl.  Howabout a new kidney?  Great!  But you still owe it to yourself to get qualified MEDICAL opinions from quality MEDICAL providers -- here, or abroad.  

And I have seen the same thing happen here in the states. I've seen countless women NOT do research in regards to fertility treatment, pregnancy and delivery, weight loss and plastic surgery and do whatever their insurance tells them they can and can't do.

I can't speak for anyone else but I did a ton of research and did couple that with opinion before choosing my Reproductive Endocronlogist, choosing a geneticst for my daughter, choosing treatment for my autistic daughter and looking for a WLS and plastics surgeon. Not everyone who asks questions online is an idiot who choose their Dr. simply based on price and popular opinion. You are assuming they aren't doing more background work because all you see is what they posted here. I've spent hours researching and talking to Dr.'s in Texas, Utah and Dr. Sauceda about plastic surgery. I could have done a tummy tuck in Utah for around $6000. That's reasonable but Dr. Sauceda's successes coupled with prayer which I heavily lean on led me to him.

Some people do choose willy nilly but again I've seen that in the states as well. I've seen countless people never even question their Dr. or interview them or anything in between. So they hardly know their doctors either. My friend had WLS with a local surgeon who I would have NEVER let touch me but she didn't have a choice because her insurance said she had to go to him so she felt like it was her only shot. This doesn't only apply to going out of the country. My WLS surgeon was amazingly more qualified than the 2 local doctors.

Leah, I think you make excellent points about people making poor choices because they do not do their research.  Sometimes people do great research, and get terrible care anyway -- here and abroad.

What troubles me is seeing people repeat the same name online over and over as a means of advertising -- and getting references from anonymous sources with no accountability whatsoever.  If my gynecologist refers me to an endocrinologist, and that endocrinologist does cr*p work, then 

1)  word will get back immediately to my gynecologist, who
     a)  will share that information with others; and
     b)  will probably either
            i)  demand that her referral own up to his mistake and fix the problem; and/or
           ii)  refuse to make further referrals unless the physician makes good on his errors

2)  there is a whole system of accountability state-side, that ensures that physicians own up to their mistakes and demonstrate their competence to their peers

None of this is a guarantee.  All physicians make mistakes, and there sure are docs who are worthless EVERYWHERE.  But that is precisely why accountability is preeminently critical.

People who shop for their care overseas are often forgoing accountability, and frankly I am not sold on "I texted my doctor and emailed a photo, so he's aware of it all" as being accountability.  Accountability means someone owns up to resolving their own mistakes.  Financial, moral, physical and social responsibility.

I do not see that happening with the popular overseas choices that I am seeing here.

One of the reasons doctors love overseas patients is, that once that person gets on a plane -- and even if that person gets a deadly blood clot while doing so -- that patient is OUTTA THERE!  No more problem for the overseas doctor.

Out of sight, out of mind, as long as s/he's out of the country.

I see your point but disagree. I had an unforseen complication during my sleeve surgery. Dr. Aceves found a lesion in my stomach and had to call down a gastroenterologist who scoped me while I was under. My results were not back before I left. They faxed me and my Dr. the report and sent us the samples. They suggested I follow up with an endoscope in 6 months. I did and his report was correct. He never once charged me anything additional over my quoted fee. So whatever the gastro might have charged Dr. Aceves must have absorbed. I never received a pathology bill either.

So I get what your saying about no accountability but I also think you can find reputable Dr.s who do care and stand behind their work and their patients. My one bad experience with a specialist was with a pediatric cardiologist refered by our ped. 

So we'll have to agree to disagree. I certainly agree their are some quacks. That Dr. Q sounds like one of them. There are some WLS quacks too in Mexico but if you do your reseach on and off the boards you can find reputable care in Mexico and ones who will stand behind their work. I even considered going to Brazil as we have friends there. It was still pricey.

I don't think everyone who just talks here takes everything verbatim and doesn't check things out on their own. One woman who is slated for December met with Dr. S previously.

I had everything waxed/sugared prior to each of my surgeries. However I had been doing this for months prior to my surgery.

I would suggest looking into a sugaring studio to see if there is one close to you. I believe sugaring is better than waxing. They use the same ball of sugar on you and only you. There is no dipping the same stick into the same wax bin that they use for all of their clients. Also w/ sugaring they can go over the same spot a few times incase the first try doesn't remove the hair. With waxing you are only suppose to go over the area once and if it doesn't come out you are out of luck. And unfortunately the first time you get it done the hair can be somewhat stubborn. The sugar is also just slightly warm so you don't have the heat that you would w/ waxing. Some places even have a numbing spray that they can apply to help ease w/ the discomfort.

I'm personally a sugaring convert, wouldn't do anything else. If you want to know more you can go to Studiosmooth.com (the local one by me) but they give the descriptions and other resources on the whole process.

UGh! I am SO not sure about the waxing. LOL. We'll see. I will check on the lymphatic massage. I read a lot of good things about that. Some regular massage therapists are trained to do them. I'd ask for credentials to make sure as it's added education.