If you think that deciding about which plastic surgery procedure to have involves a lot of challenge, then here is what plastic surgeons face on the job.

Plastic surgery is more than just nip and tuck. It also involves a certain amount of psychotherapy. Understanding the patient before surgery is absolutely essential with respect to the final result and the overall outcome of the patient\'s happiness. The patient must have realistic expectations and therefore several consultation appointments are usually required, at least two, prior to the surgery. Explaining the whole truth about the cosmetic surgery to the patient and understanding what he/she wants out of it is nothing short of a session of psychotherapy.

A plastic surgeon needs to find the right team too. A good team for plastic surgery includes a Board Certified Anesthesiologist, the Director of Nursing, the ancillary help, including the Circulating Nurse and the Certified Scrub Tech.

Another challenge is the never-ending search for less invasive yet equally effective treatments. Surgeons also need to keep current with the myriad of new technologies, so that they can offer their patients what’s the latest and the best.

Educating the public to be better consumers is another challenge that plastic surgeons have to undertake. This is really critical as there are only approximately 7000 board certified plastic surgeons in the U.S and over 70,000 practitioners providing cosmetic services. Plastic surgeons also have to continually provide the highest level of care.

With a literal explosion in the beauty business, there are a myriad of choices out there for the consumer. One of the greatest challenges in the industry today is to help consumers educate themselves about qualified, bona fide professionals and the procedures they are - or are not - qualified to carry out.

Another challenge facing plastic surgeons today is too much misinformation. Patients are often under the impression that fillers, or mini surgeries, or the so- called\' Lunch Time Lift\', will suffice when more traditional procedures are needed.