You deserve to look and feel your best at any age. When you decide to pursue cosmetic surgery, you don’t want to settle for anything less than the best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis. Surgery is a life-changing decision and demands unparalleled, dedicated expertise.
Let’s walk through everything you need to know when you’re choosing a plastic surgeon in Indianapolis for your procedure.
What to Look for in a Plastic Surgeon
Before we cover the questions you need to ask in your plastic surgery consultation, we should talk about how to vet the doctor you’re talking to in the first place. You want to know that you’re getting advice from an expert you can trust.
The best plastic surgeon, in Indianapolis or anywhere, is going to have these key qualities:
Board Certification
Credentials should feel clear, not buried in medical lingo. When you search for the best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis, start by looking at training, board certification, and transparency.
Start With the Basics
Board certification means that a surgeon meets training, testing, and continuing education standards within a specialized field. It gives patients a way to check whether a surgeon completed recognized training beyond medical school.
A board-certified plastic surgeon has years of demonstrated experience and knowledge in their field. While cosmetic procedures are typically not considered medically necessary, they are still serious surgeries and require expertise to execute them well.
When a doctor is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, it shows that they’re extensively trained and have taken extra steps to ensure the safety of their patients.
In order to achieve board certification the surgeon must have 5 years of approved surgical training, including a residency specifically in plastic surgery. They also have to pass rigorous written and oral exams.
Dual board certification means that a surgeon holds credentials in two fields. At Turkle & Associates, our team is led by Dr. Janet Turkle and Dr. Brandon Specht who are both dual board-certified in general surgery and plastic surgery.
Why That Training Matters to Your Care
That background gives each surgeon a deep understanding of human anatomy, procedural safety, and aesthetic judgment. Those skills shape how your surgeon places incisions, protects the surrounding tissue, and fosters natural-looking results.
Plastic surgery also requires a strong sense of balance. A qualified surgeon looks beyond one feature and considers how each change aligns with your natural features and aesthetic goals.
How to Verify Credentials
You can verify a provider’s board certification by looking up the surgeon’s name through the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery.
Pay attention to the wording they use on their site and marketing materials. “Board-certified” and “board-eligible” do not mean the same thing.
Plastic Surgeon vs. Cosmetic Surgeon
It’s also important to choose a surgeon who specializes in the type of surgery you want to have and has experience providing quality results.
The difference between plastic and cosmetic surgery is one of the most useful details to understand during your search. The terms might sound similar, but they describe different credentials and specialties.
Two Different Training Paths
When you compare options to find the best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis, ask whether the provider trained in plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery.
Plastic surgery includes both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. During training, plastic surgeons learn to restore appearance, structure, and function. That path includes procedures that improve how a feature looks and how it works.
Cosmetic surgery focuses on appearance. A cosmetic surgeon could come from another medical specialty before adding aesthetic procedures to their practice. That training path does not always include reconstructive surgery or the same depth of plastic surgery residency experience.
This distinction doesn’t mean every cosmetic surgeon lacks skill. But it is an important distinction when your procedure involves delicate tissue, visible scarring, complex anatomy, healing concerns, or a balance between function and appearance.
Proven Results
It’s no question that before and after photos are an essential part of researching cosmetic surgery. These visuals capture more than attractive results. They also speak to surgical consistency, technique, and an eye for balance. They’re one of the best ways to judge your potential surgeon’s work.
Of course, look at before and after photos of the particular surgery you’re interested in. While researching, pay particular attention to patients who have similar features to you or who asked for changes like the ones you would like to see.
Things you’ll want to consider:
Do I like the results I see?
Look beyond whether the patient’s transformation appears dramatic.
Instead, consider whether the results look balanced, natural, and aligned with the patient’s starting point. Before-and-after snapshots should reflect outcomes that feel refined—not overly tightened, exaggerated, or out of proportion with a patient’s anatomy.
Are there patients in the portfolio that look like me?
When reviewing a gallery, look for patients with features, body types, ages, or concerns similar to yours.
A strong photo library shows repeatable outcomes across different patients. That variety gives you a better sense of how the surgeon adapts their approach to each patient’s features.
Is there consistent lighting and angles in the photos and they don’t seem edited?
Lighting, angles, distance, posture, and facial expressions should remain consistent. Edited images, dramatic makeup, or different poses can make it difficult to accurately judge patient outcomes.
Ask to see photos during your consultation.
Your provider should be able to explain what the patient wanted, what procedure they received, and how their results healed.
A sparse gallery doesn’t say much. If you only see a few examples, it’s hard to tell whether the surgeon performs that procedure often.
A thoughtful consultation should give you room to ask those questions without feeling rushed.
View Turkle & Associates’ Before and After Gallery
An In-Depth Consultation Process
If you’re visiting the best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis, you should expect a thorough and comfortable consultation process.
Not only do you want an expert surgeon, but you also want a surgeon that you can have a good relationship with. Plastic surgery is a particularly intimate surgical experience and not the kind of procedure you want to schedule on a whim.
The consultation process sets the tone for your entire experience with a surgeon. A top plastic surgeon will listen to your concerns and provide expert guidance on how to best achieve your desired outcomes.
Be sure to ask what’s covered in your initial consultation with a surgeon. For example, at Turkle & Associates, because our consultations come with a fee, we have an initial consultation over the phone to answer preliminary questions.
What we cover in our pre-consultation:
- Ensuring candidacy for a procedure
- Complimentary photo review
- Expectations for results (i.e. sizing for breast augmentation)
- Discuss scheduling and recovery time frame
- Pricing estimate
After this initial phone consultation, we’ll schedule you for an in-person consultation with Dr. Turkle or Dr. Specht.
What happens during the office consultation:
- 3D imaging for breast augmentation patients
- Measurements
- Conversation with Dr. Turkle or Dr. Specht
- Review of risks and considerations
- Schedule your surgery
- Putting down deposit
10 Questions to Ask During Your Plastic Surgery Consultation:
Throughout your consultation process, it’s important to ask any and all of your questions. Once you’ve found a board-certified surgeon who seems like a good match for your case, you’ll want to do your homework during the consultation process.
The best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis will cover most of this information during your consultation:
1. What procedure do you recommend for me?
In most cases, you may have a certain procedure in mind. However, in some scenarios, you may not be certain what procedure will give you the results you want to see, such as if you’re trying to choose between a liposuction vs tummy tuck procedure.
At Turkle & Associates, we discuss this question during your pre-consultation.
2. How often do you perform this procedure?
Not only should you ask about your surgeon’s board certification, but you also want to know if this is a procedure they perform regularly. The more opportunities a surgeon has had to perform a particular procedure, the more time they’ve had to refine their techniques and experience the nuances of various patient scenarios. Asking this question gives you more insight into their expertise.
3. Can I see before and after photos?
While many surgeons have before and after galleries online, it’s also important to ask to see before and after examples in person. This is your chance to ask more in-depth questions about the process and be sure you can see photos that reflect the results you want for yourself.
4.What is the cost breakdown for this procedure?
Because most cosmetic procedures are considered elective, they are not typically covered by insurance. You’ll want to get a full understanding of the cost of your surgery, as well as any financing options that are available. The costs associated with plastic surgery will likely include:
- The surgeon’s fee
- The operating room fees
- Anesthesia fees, if applicable
- Compression garments and other aftercare products as needed
- Lab work
5. Are there pre-op appointments needed?
For some surgeries, there may be some pre-operative testing or blood work that you’ll need to complete before your surgery. You’ll also want to ask if there are any lifestyle considerations for this procedure, such as needing to maintain or lose weight or avoid certain foods and prescription drugs.
6. Does this procedure require anesthesia?
Knowing whether your procedure requires anesthesia can help you prepare for your procedure. It also tells you whether you’ll need someone to drive you home after your surgery. If your surgeon anticipates you will need an overnight stay, that is considered an “inpatient” procedure. If you will be cleared to return home after your procedure, that is called an “outpatient” procedure.
7. What is the downtime associated with this procedure?
Most cosmetic surgeries come with a necessary recovery period. The length of recovery is entirely dependent on the type of surgery. It’s important to ask about the expected recovery timeline associated with your chosen procedure so that you can plan accordingly.
8. Will I receive written post-op instructions?
As you ask about recovery, you should ask if you’re going to receive written post-op instructions (the answer should be yes!) to help facilitate your healing. Following the instructions will be a crucial part of ensuring your healing goes smoothly and your surgical results are protected.
9. How many follow-up appointments will be necessary?
You can generally expect to have some follow-up appointments with your surgeon to check on the progress of your healing. More involved surgeries might have more follow-up appointments. You should also ask what the procedures are in the event of complications during recovery, such as infection or abnormal scarring.
10. When will I see the results?
The million-dollar question! One of the benefits of cosmetic surgery over non-invasive treatments is that you’ll be able to notice results pretty quickly.
Of course, with surgery, you have a different healing trajectory and your results will shift and settle as your body heals. It’s good to ask your surgeon about the expected timeline for your results.
Interested in Plastic Surgery in Indianapolis?
Choosing the best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis also means understanding the people, philosophy, and experience behind your care. At Turkle & Associates, Dr. Turkle and Dr. Specht lead a surgical team focused on education, safety, and results that feel personal to each patient.
We aim to ensure every one of our patients looks and feels their best. In every surgery or treatment, we work to make sure our patients achieve their best personal results no matter their aesthetic goals.
About Dr. Turkle
Dr. Janet Turkle founded Turkle & Associates in 1993 after completing medical school and general surgery training at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She then completed plastic surgery training at Indiana University Medical Center.
Dr. Turkle is known for her surgical expertise and patient care, which has made her one of the best plastic surgeons in Indianapolis. She is certified by both the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has been named a Top Doc for Cosmetic Surgery as well as Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Her commitment to ongoing education, alongside decades of experience, reflects a longstanding dedication to safe, natural-looking results.
Dr. Brandon Specht
Dr. Brandon Specht earned his medical degree from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed general surgery training at Grandview Medical Center and plastic and reconstructive surgery training at The Cleveland Clinic.
Like Dr. Turkle, he is also dual board-certified. Today, Dr. Specht serves civilian patients full-time at Turkle & Associates and military patients part-time through the Indiana Air National Guard.
About Our Plastic Surgery Center
The plastic surgeons at Turkle & Associates have spent 33 years caring for patients, completing over 150,000 surgical procedures in that time. Those numbers reflect deep experience across facial, breast, and body procedures.
Our clinical expertise shapes more than surgical planning. It also guides the way our team answers questions, prepares patients, and follows through after surgery.
At our practice, we want you to feel welcome during your time with us, but we also want you to feel comfortable and educated throughout your surgery experience. From your initial phone call to the final follow-up, you’ll have our caring staff right by your side!
Ready to Get Started? Book Your Plastic Surgery Consultation Today!
Your search for the best plastic surgeon in Indianapolis ends here. Turkle & Associates is a premier provider of plastic surgery located in Carmel, Indiana. We’re proud to serve the Indianapolis region and beyond!
Request an appointment to get started.
Not quite ready to visit us in person yet? Try out our virtual consultation tool. You can self-select your areas of interest, learn more about our treatment options, and receive customized recommendations right to your email.
