The first thing most patients do when they check out a doctor's Web site or visit the office for a consultation is look for pre-and post-op photos of the doctor's prior work.
It can be very helpful to check out the similarities and differences of patients who have been cared for by the doctor.
The photos often reassure the potential patient that the procedure being considered can help achieve the specific goal being sought.
But photos are two-dimensional and we live in a three-dimensional world.
A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
That's why techniques like standardization of photos and use of the same makeup and backgrounds in the before-and-after images are good ways to help make these photos more relevant for patients.
Still, no single series of pictures can truly show the difference between the pre-op situation and the post-op result.
Some doctors have chosen to use video, but this is impractical in most circumstances.
Even for those of us trying to evaluate the results of a particular technique or technology on the skin surface (especially with the explosion of non-invasive skin-surface treatments), conventional photo techniques and digital imaging are not enough to make a truly informed judgment.
Besides, the best doctors show "typical results" in addition to their "best results.
" (I have yet to hear of anyone consistently showing their "worst results" outcomes to prospective patients!) So what are prospective patients to do? Seeing a previous patient in person is something I recommend frequently in my consultations.
I am fortunate: Many of my patients have volunteered to speak with and meet prospective patients.
Besides giving a realistic view of what was achieved, the direct contact from someone who has undergone the procedure in question is incredibly valuable.
There are computer programs that do a wonderful job of morphing the pre-operative photo and providing a theoretical post-op result.
Of course, a computer can do many things to a two-dimensional image that I can't achieve with a three-dimensional patient, so I've shied away from a heavy reliance on such tools.
But that may be changing.
My team at New York-Presbyterian Hospital has increasing experience using a new generation of 3-D cameras and software for research purposes.
These tools allow us to accurately document the volume changes after facial and breast surgery.
The net effect is that we can take the image generated and convert it into data that can be analyzed objectively, without the inherent bias that comes from variables like changes in lighting and patient movements.
Eventually, with a large enough database of documented pre-and post-op results, we will be able to translate these outcomes to prospective patients.
We'll be able to produce better representations of what can be achieved by the procedure in question.
Improvements in the way I educate my patients before they agree to undergo procedures means happier and more satisfied patients after those procedures...
and happier and more satisfied patients is my ultimate professional goal.