Breast augmentations surgeries are both extremely popular and complex. The number of choices women have is significant, and the implications of those choices can be many-faceted. While women can approach the surgery with great confidence that they can achieve the look they desire, many may find the consultation process confusing at times and have misgivings or doubts — most of them unfounded — that their surgery choices will yield the results they wish to have.
It is commonplace to stress the importance of education during the consultation process; it is paramount, however, to over-educate prospective clients about every aspect of the procedure to increase patient confidence and satisfaction. This approach, which lies in contrast to over-simplifying choices and options during the consultation process, can lead to much better outcomes both objectively and qualitatively. In addition, expanding the educational channels of a practice through actively engaging social media can further enhance a practice’s client experiences.
Over-Educating Clients to Improve Perceptions and Outcomes
Over-educating clients about their choices and possible outcomes can increase clients’ comfort with their choices and their perception of their choices and results. If patients understand the positive and negative aspects of each available option — even options they do not select — they will be more likely to accept reasonable limitations in the options they do select.
Simplifying patient choices and limiting information about options which may not be recommended to them at the outset based on their needs more often than not can leave patients concerned that other, better options exist which can affect their perception of their selections, even if the selected options are the best options for their needs and goals.
This is especially true of breast augmentation procedures where choices extend far beyond the type of implant to shape, size, placement, incision placement, lifestyle concerns and the psychological needs being met for each patient by the surgery. Good outcomes are often the result of the highest level of patient confidence after consultation and before surgery.
Using Social Media and Influencers to Educate Clients
Another way to educate current and prospective clients is through social media, where many considerations and situations which may not be readily anticipated in a consultative or surgical context can be discussed at length. Influencers — individuals who have wide audiences online and explore brand and lifestyle issues — can be crucial in bridging the gap between the clinical and day-to-day realities of patients at each stage of the breast augmentation process.
Influencers can extend the reach of the practice and, if proactively engaged by the practice, can help dispel common myths and concerns in ways that may be difficult for a practice to achieve otherwise due to limitations in their own communication and marketing channels. The reach, perspective and communicative style of influencers can be an invaluable tool for both new and mature practices when appropriately selected and vetted.
Dr. Lickstein earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago. He completed his general surgery residency at Tufts University/New England Medical Center and his Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at Albany Medical College in New York. He also completed a Fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery at Harvard Medical School-Massachusetts General Hospital’s Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
