Thereโs a new type of patient coming into the offices of Dover, OH, facial plastic surgeon David Hartman, MDโone that he describes as a โmore informed client.โ The source of their newfound education? A rather unlikely medium.
โSocial mediaโs impact on our first-time visitors is giving way to the arrival of a more educated client,โ he says. โThe light of understanding in the eyes of first-timers is much more evident today, because nearly all of them have already seen videos, studied before-and-after photos, and read reviews before I ever meet them. I love this.โ
While Dr. Hartman says he believes it is still important to cover the basics in the discussions of procedure options, he thinks the “pre-informed” clients are far more capable of asking personalized and relevant questionsโmainly because they have already been contemplating details of a prospective procedure and been imagining themselves trying it out.ย Plus, thereโs a pretty solid personal connection.
โThe other great advantage is that clients coming to our practice already know us before they actually meet us from what they have been able to learn online. They have already identified with us and that is why they have chosen to come in and visit. They are able to get a very balanced view of what to expectโthe risks, the benefits, the alternatives and the limitationsโfrom their online research efforts, which, in my opinion, makes them a better client.โ
Regardless of what plastic surgeons are using social media for, Livingston, NJ, plastic surgeon John Paul Tutela, MD, says thereโs no denying that the conversation is changing. โPeople, in general, are getting more open about plastic surgeryโitโs a much more liberal conversation. The stigmas have dissipated and social media has a lot to do with it. People are witnessing and experiencing a lot of other peopleโs lives and they are more comfortable thinking about plastic surgery and discussing it. Itโs not just limited to plastic surgery either; you see it in so many areas of beauty, including hair, makeup, injectables. It is in so many aspects of life.โ
It’s a move that Dr. Tutela says helps the aesthetic industry as a wholeโas long as itโs done well. โIn general, you shouldnโt be able to see good plastic surgery, but you can see bad plastic surgery from across the room. On social media, if itโs a disaster, which unfortunately pops up more, that obviously doesnโt help the industry. However, I really think that, the more that people know about whatโs available, the better off we are. Social media is fueling thingsโthereโs no denying that.โ