Why the choice matters more than the operation
The same operation can go very differently in different hands. The checks below apply to any surgeon you are considering, this practice included. None of them needs a medical background to ask.
1. Trained in plastic surgery, and where
Plastic and reconstructive surgery is a specialty with its own years of residency after medical school. Ask where the surgeon trained in it. A title such as “aesthetic doctor” or “cosmetic doctor” does not say whether the person trained in surgery at all (American Society of Plastic Surgeons).
2. Registered with the Lebanese Order of Physicians
Every doctor who practises in Lebanon is registered with the Order of Physicians. Ask for the registration and the specialty it lists.
3. The hospital, and who gives the anaesthetic
Ask which hospital the operation takes place in and whether the surgeon operates there. Ask who gives the anaesthetic and how you are monitored while you are asleep (American Society of Plastic Surgeons).
4. The consultation is with the surgeon who operates
You should meet the person who will do the operation before deciding (NHS). A proper consultation goes through what the operation will do, what it will not do, the risks in full and the recovery. Some patients are advised against surgery; hearing that is a sign the consultation is honest.
5. Photographs you can trust
Before and after should be taken in the same place, at the same distance, under the same light, and cropped the same way. The interval should be stated: an after photograph with no timing means nothing, because swelling settles over months. Nothing should be retouched, and every case should be published with the patient's consent.
6. Aftercare you can name
Ask who sees you after the operation, how often, and until when. Ask what happens if something needs correcting. The answer should be specific.
7. The warning signs
- Discounts, package prices or a countdown to book.
- A promise of no scar, or of a guaranteed result.
- Surgery arranged before you have seen the surgeon.
- Pressure to decide the same day.
Be careful with paid search listings: an advert near the top of a search says nothing about training (NHS).
At this practice
Dr. Vincent ElKhoury is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and a member of the Lebanese Order of Physicians. He trained in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Balamand, Saint George Hospital University Medical Center, and operates at Hayek Hospital and Bellevue Medical Center. Every patient is seen by him at the clinic in Mansourieh, Metn. His training is set out on the biography page, and the photographs follow the rules above on the before-and-after page.
Questions
FAQ
How do I check a plastic surgeon's qualifications in Lebanon?
Ask where the surgeon trained in plastic and reconstructive surgery, ask for their registration with the Lebanese Order of Physicians and the specialty it lists, and ask which hospitals they operate in.
What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and an aesthetic doctor?
A plastic surgeon has completed a residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery. “Aesthetic doctor” is a description, not a specialty: it does not say whether the person trained in surgery.
What should happen at the first consultation?
You see the surgeon who will operate. You are told what the operation will and will not do, the risks in full and the recovery. Nothing is booked under pressure.
What are the warning signs when choosing a surgeon?
Discounts, package prices, countdowns to book, promises of no scar or a guaranteed result, and surgery arranged before you have seen the surgeon.