The internet has become the ‘go-to’ to search for information, on anything and everything. We can learn how to apply makeup, care for our skin, read diet and lifestyle tips, plot our daily activity schedules and prepare menus created by chefs…..and the list goes on….
In 2014, 82% of Australians spent an average of 23.3 hours online each week, a huge increase from 6.7 hours per week in 2003 (CMO Neilsen 2014 study).
Those wishing to source information on plastic or cosmetic surgery are no exception. You can search for a surgeon in your location, search and watch an operation and discover and read experiences of former patients. There is a mountain of information due to the explosion internationally of the world wide web however, the information available can become overwhelming and lead to a number of mistruths. Take note too of where (Australia or overseas) the content is from, how old the information is and who it features or who has written the articles.
Forums, more often than not, are hosts to fraudulent patients revealing mistruths about operations or surgeons, and some users like to go as far as diagnosing surgical dilemmas. So how do you search for relevant surgery information and arm yourself with relevant knowledge?
We suggest visiting reputable affiliated websites, such as the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons www.plasticsurgery.org.au. This particular website is filled with up-to-the-minute information specific to Plastic surgery. You can read and understand the training Plastic surgeons are required to complete. Another valuable resource that we highly recommend is the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons www.asaps.org.au.
The Australasian Foundation for Plastic Surgery www.plasticsurgeryfoundation.org.au, also features detailed information about surgical procedures and valuable patient resources.
Factual information can be somewhat difficult to decipher with today’s IT and design technology producing stunning websites and professional looking blogs, full of alluring advertising content. Internet information such as, forums, photos, videos and blogs should not be relied upon heavily to make critical decisions to undergo plastic surgery nor should it replace information provided face-to-face with your surgeon. Call us today on 9429 3343 to book your one-on-one consultation with Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Jane Paterson.
Dr Jane is a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons and the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and is a board certified Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.