notably, the untimely death of Donda West, the 58-year-old mother of hip-hop superstar Kanye West, cast a spotlight on the possible dangers associated with such operations. West died last November, shortly after a cosmetic surgical procedure.
“It’s beyond unfortunate that happened. The reality is that people are [now] looking at plastic surgery more seriously,†Few says, adding that “98.5% of the time plastic surgery is safe. The remaining [percentage] of the time is related to surgical risks.†Risks are extremely rare, occurring about 1 in 60,000 surgeries, Few says.
To help minimize risks, doctors should do a thorough evaluation with patients and inspect their medical history. Patients also must do their due diligence when finding the right plastic surgeon.
He warns that anyone who has a medical license can call themselves a plastic surgeon, even if they aren’t board certified. He suggests only seeing plastic surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, which is recognized by the American Medical Association and American Board of Medical Specialties. Also make sure your plastic surgeon of choice has experience working with ethnic skin types. “Get referrals from people who have gone to a board-certified plastic surgeon,†he advises.