First and foremost, my staff and I respect your privacy and as a matter of personal ethics, we do not share any information about your care unless you give permission.

Next, the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center trains all employees in patient confidentiality and periodically reviews the policies and standards.

As you may know, the federal government passed legislation called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) that requires all healthcare providers to insure that patient information is handled discreetly and confidentially.

A physician's board certification may be the most important of his/her credentials. To become board certified, the physician must pass a series of written and oral examinations in addition to submitting a number of actual surgical cases for review by the examiners. There are educational requirements to fulfill before applying for certification. If you want to know more about board certification, you may go to www.abplsurg.org, the website for the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Your surgery will be in the Short Procedure Unit or the main operating room at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Within four weeks of your surgery, you will come to the hospital for pre-admission testing to determine if you have any medical issues that may affect your procedure and recovery. Highly qualified and experienced nurses staff both surgical areas.

Dr. Whitaker performs all adult surgeries at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The hospital is dedicated to high quality patient care, and every year since 1997, it is included on the US News and World Report's Honor Roll of Best Hospitals list. He is also on the staff of the nationally recognized Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

On the day of your procedure, an anesthesiologist (an M.D. trained in administering anesthesia) will review your medical history and question you about any drug allergies that may affect the choice of anesthesia. Conscious sedation is a commonly used term to describe the type of anesthesia used for procedures like cosmetic surgery. It provides pain relief as well as a reduction in the anxiety you may experience about surgery. In addition, general anesthesia is frequently used. Dr. Whitaker will answer your questions about anesthesia during your consultation.

There are risks, but problems are rare, and they vary according to the procedure you plan. Dr. Whitaker and his staff will review the risks associated with each procedure with you during your consultation. By providing complete health information to the staff and following post surgery instructions, you reduce the possibility for many problems.

Yes, there are several of Dr. Whitaker's patients who welcome a phone call from someone considering cosmetic surgery. When you are in the office, the nurse will give you their phone numbers.

One of the first things patients ask about is recovery time. They want to know when they can go back to work, resume exercising and go about their lives. They want to know whether they'll have bruises and swelling to give away that they've had surgery.

While most people don't seem to mind that close friends and family know they've had cosmetic surgery, they also don't want to have to explain to people they don't know well.

Each patient recovers differently. I can give you ranges of recovery time for the surgery you plan to have, but your recovery will depend on how your body heals.

That said, I could advise you how to care for yourself so you'll recover as quickly as you are able.

• Plan to be gentle with yourself for the first few days. Rest, relax and take it easy.
• Put off exercising until either I or the nurse tell you it's okay. The amount of time varies depending on your surgery, but it's generally two to three weeks.
• Returning to work depends somewhat on you and your job. If your job is physical, you shouldn't return until you are well into the healing process. If your job is at a desk, you can return sooner.
• The goal is to get you back into your usual routines as soon as possible, without compromising the results of surgery.
• We can work it out!

Several years ago, I became interested in the effects of certain herbal remedies on surgical patients. I read widely and reviewed scientific studies on these alternative treatments. Now I offer each of my patients the option of taking certain herbs before and immediately after the surgery. I'm pleased with what I'm seeing — less bruising and swelling and a shorter recovery period.

This is what I suggest and why:

Arnica Montana: this derivative from the English daisy plant may help reduce post-operative bruising and swelling.

Vitamin A: This vitamin is believed to have beneficial effects on wound healing and the immune system.

Bromelain: Bromelain, an enzyme from the pineapple, may help prevent bruising and relieves the swelling that goes along with surgery.

Vitamin C: Surgery causes the body to have an increased need for assistance with wound healing, and vitamin C may provide help.

Vitamin E Cream: After surgery, I suggest using vitamin E cream or ointment on your incisions to increase healing.

Zinc (chelated): This may aid wound healing and boost the immune systems.

Ideally, you should be rested and relaxed before surgery. Then the chances for a smooth and speedy recovery are better. Stock up on good books or the latest videos — or whatever restful activity you enjoy. If you want nursing care following your surgery, there is a private duty-nursing agency associated with the hospital. Anticipate any needs you may have following your surgery by reviewing the instructions we give you in the office.

No, insurers consider cosmetic surgery an elective procedure and do not cover the costs.

After some consideration, I decided not to include photos of my patients before and after surgery. However, when you come to the office for a consultation, we have photos you can see.

We in the office find that photos can be misleading. Each face is unique; each person's results are different depending on their facial bones, skin and age. Therefore, your results will be different from others. We find it's helpful to look at a number of photos to appreciate the spectrum of results, not just see the very best results that many websites tend to show.

Dr. Whitaker's office is across the street from the hospital in a building that houses physicians' offices and hotel rooms. The patients who stay a day or two in the hotel after surgery have the comfort of knowing their doctor's office and the hospital are very close.