Kaely, age 36

"I came to Plastic Surgery Associates to fix the damage another surgeon had done. I had a nose job and a breast augmentation by a surgeon who didn’t have much experience. I looked worse than before I went in.

Months after the first surgery my nose still looked really bad. Finally the surgeon agreed to do it over. But I was so scared before the surgery, I was crying. One of the nurses felt sorry for me and offered to call me a cab, and asked, "Have you talked to other surgeons?" So that’s what I decided to do.

I had heard of Plastic Surgery Associates, but I thought they’d be too expensive. Now I realize you can’t scrimp on something that important.

It’s really important to find a surgeon who has a good reputation. Check into how many years’ experience they have, and whether they’re board certified. Most important, talk to some of the surgeons’ patients who’ve had the same procedure as you. I learned the hard way."