Become A Pro at Reading Reviews
When fishing through the sea of online reviews on surgeons, procedures, or really anything else, it can be difficult to decipher between what is trustworthy and what is not. Luckily, Premier Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, a provider of ThermiVa services in Allegheny County, is here to help sharpen your review-reading skills and make you a professional at determining what to believe and what to take with a grain of salt.
Testimonials vs Reviews
While you may think testimonials are basically the same as reviews, there are actually distinct differences that set them apart from one another. Testimonials typically appear on the websites of the surgeon being reviewed and only highlight the experiences of happy patients. Reviews, on the other hand, include feedback from any patients regardless of whether or not they are pleased with their experience.
Testimonials
In the case of testimonials, we suggest picking out the ones that describe actual specifics of their procedure, rather than ones that simply state that they were happy with their doctor. For example, if a testimonial is titled as “vaginal rejuvenation procedure in Pittsburgh, PA,” it will clearly be more specific than one that simply says “great surgeon.” While testimonials are not as objective as reviews, they can still be used as a great starting point when choosing your surgeon.
Verified Reviews
When looking for reviews online, we recommend using verified review sites such as https://www.realpatientratings.com/Brian-Vassar-Heil that guarantee only legitimate patients will be posting about their experiences. Using a verified review site allows for a level of certainty that is not commonly found online, since patients will typically receive a secure link to post from after a procedure or consultation.
When it comes to negative reviews, don’t be discouraged by 1-star feedback if it is surrounded by mostly positive experiences. Since not everyone is going to be completely happy 100% of the time, there are bound to be some low ratings. As a rule of thumb, look to see if the positives outweigh the negatives, and base your opinion from there.
See For Yourself
While reviews can be incredibly helpful for narrowing down your choices, the best way to inform your decision about which surgeon to choose is to do first-hand research. We recommend scheduling a consultation with anyone you are considering for a procedure, as this will give you a real feel for how he or she operates. This way, you can feel confident about your choice moving forward, having done secondary research online and forming your own personal opinion through an in-person meeting.