Verify identity and professional status
Ask for the full name of the surgeon who will operate, the recognised specialty, professional registration and intended clinic. “Aesthetic expert” is a marketing expression, not evidence of surgical training. The professional answering online should be the same person responsible for the medical decision.
Look for experience relevant to your procedure
General seniority is not enough. Experience should relate to the requested operation and the patient’s anatomy: rhinoplasty, breast surgery, abdominoplasty and facial lifting require different judgement. Ask why a particular technique is proposed and what alternatives exist.
Assess the consultation, not the sales conversation
A proper consultation covers health history, medicines, smoking, allergies, previous operations and realistic expectations. The surgeon should explain scars, recovery, limitations and important risks. Pressure to pay quickly or a definitive diagnosis based only on photographs calls for caution.
Understand consent and decision-making
Consent is more than a signature. You should have time to understand the intervention, anaesthesia, devices where relevant, foreseeable consequences and situations that may lead to postponement. Questions should receive precise answers without promises of a guaranteed result.
Prepare follow-up before choosing
Confirm who answers after surgery, where checks take place and which documents are provided. Patients travelling from abroad should know how communication continues after returning home and what to do if pain, fever or an unusual change occurs.
RJMed checklist
Verifiable identity
Full name, recognised specialty and professional registration.
Personal explanation
Indication, alternatives, risks, scars and realistic limitations.
Operating location
Named clinic, anaesthesia and expected monitoring.
Organised follow-up
Checks, useful contact details and medical documents.
Documents and answers to obtain before committing
An informed decision depends on identifiable information, not a sequence of sales messages. Before paying a deposit, ask for the operating surgeon’s full name, specialty, proposed clinic, type of anaesthesia and a written description of the procedure. The name can be checked through Tunisia’s National Medical Council. Registration is an identity and professional-status check; it is not a guarantee of a particular outcome.
Compare consultations without creating a ranking
| Topic | Useful answer | Reason for caution |
|---|---|---|
| Indication | Linked to examination, medical history and a realistic aim. | The same operation is offered from photographs alone. |
| Technique | Choice, limits and alternatives are explained. | A technique is advertised as perfect or risk-free. |
| Aftercare | Checks, medical contact and escalation steps are defined. | Care after returning home remains vague. |
| Decision | There is time to understand and ask questions. | A discount requires immediate payment. |
General experience versus procedure-specific experience
Years in practice are not the only relevant measure. Experience should relate to the proposed operation, its technical variants and comparable patient profiles. Rhinoplasty, breast surgery and abdominoplasty do not share the same constraints, scars, risks or recovery. Before-and-after photographs may support a discussion, but they do not establish qualifications, facility safety or the quality of follow-up.
When should the process stop or be postponed?
Contradictory information, no direct access to the surgeon, a late change of surgeon or clinic, financial pressure, no medical questionnaire or a guaranteed-result claim are sound reasons to pause. Postponement preserves the possibility of a better documented decision. RJMed does not publish surgeon rankings or appoint a “best surgeon”; this guide makes verification criteria visible and comparable.