The Importance Of Plastic Surgery Before & After Photos

Anand Patel • Apr 01, 2021

Before-and-after photos play many roles in a patient's plastic surgery journey. In the research phase, being able to view photos of a plastic surgeon's work can be helpful in narrowing down the list of surgeons to consult with. It's a great time saver for both the doctor and patient, as it allows prospective patients to review photos in their own time before spending time and money on in-person consultations.

For the surgeon, before photos play a role in the surgery itself. At Visage Facial Plastic Surgery, Dr. Patel digitally morphs the photo to show the patient what the end result can look like. He then references the photo during surgery.

When looking at before and after photos online, be aware that some surgeons can be deceiving with their photos. Here is what you should look out for in plastic surgery before-and-after photos:

Lighting: Poorly-lit befores coupled with well-lit afters.

Poses or expressions: Smiling and lifting the chin in after facelift photos can be deceptive.

Angles: Always compare before-and-after photos taken at the same angle (e.g. profile to profile).

Distance from camera: Beware of fisheye distortion that can make before photos look especially bad which occurs if the photo is taken too closely to the subject.

It is not always possible to be 100% consistent as lighting can change at different times of the year and one cannot always suppress the smile of a happy patient. But beware of a pattern of inconsistent photos. A detail-oriented surgeon will also be a detail-oriented photographer.

Viewing a variety of patient photos will give you an even better idea of the range of results. Are your expectations grounded? If not, you may want to reconsider surgery. You’ll save money and heartache.