RealSelf FAQs

We're sorry to see you go, but if you want to close your account, please email Customer Support. We'll ask you to confirm a few details and then your account will be closed.

Other Options

Are you trying to close your account for one of these reasons?

Do you

get too much email from RealSelf?

want to change your username?

have a problem with another community member?

want to remove a review or a photo?

want to edit your review text?

want to remove your location from your profile?

want to anonymize a question?

Please get in touch and we'll help you sort it out. We also appreciate any feedback you're willing to share with us.

Please contact our Customer Support team for assistance with removing your review.

We understand that your opinion of a procedure or doctor can change over time. You can always:

Change your review title

Add updates to your review

Change your costs

Add/edit photos & videos

Change your doctor

Change your Worth It rating

Sometimes, you may want to edit other things, like your provider rating. You can't change these things in the update screen, but we can update them for you. Just contact our Customer Support team and let us know what you'd like to change.

Can I Change An Old Update?

We designed the review form like a diary to show a snapshot of how you are feeling each day. In most cases, people want to post updates about new feelings, events, etc.

If you need to clarify something in an older entry, just add an update to explain your new feelings.

Your username identifies you on RealSelf -- it's listed next to all of your content, and it's how other community members know who they're talking to.

You chose a username when you first signed up for RealSelf, but you can change it at any time. Here's how:

Log in to RealSelf.com

Click on your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the page

Select My User Profile from the dropdown menu

Click the Profile tab

Fill in the box labeled Username with your preferred username

Click Save

Your username must be unique; otherwise, you'll receive an error message instructing you to choose a different name. It can be helpful to take a common name and add letters or numbers to the end to make it unique.

Your username is automatically updated on all of your past content too, so you'll see your new nickname listed next to your posts right away.

New reviews, review updates, photos, and Doctor Q&A will populate your Feed in the app. Tap the Home button to access your Feed and scroll through to see new posts.

First, thank you for writing a review! Reviews help other community members make confident decisions about improving their body, face, and smile.

Reviews undergo a short moderation process, which can take up to one business week. You'll receive an email as soon as your review is posted online.

You can always check on the status of your review by contacting the RealSelf Customer Support team.

You can also view your posted content on your profile page. You can get there by clicking the profile icon in the upper-right corner of any RealSelf page and then selecting My User Profile from the dropdown menu.

Thank you for writing a review! Reviews help other community members make confident decisions for improving their body, face, and smile.

All of your published posts are listed on your profile page. You can get there by clicking your profile icon in the upper-right corner of any RealSelf page and then selecting My User Profile from the dropdown menu.

What if youdon'tsee your review listed? Reviews go through a two-step moderation process and are generally published within one business week. You'll receive a confirmation email as soon as you submit your review, and we'll email you again when your review is published.

If your review isn't listed on your profile page but you received a confirmation email, your review will be published as soon as possible. You can always check on the status of your review by contacting Customer Support.

Authenticity is the backbone of the RealSelf community. With so much focus on "fake news" these days, it's understandable that authenticity is top of mind for consumers and doctors.

We don't tolerate fake reviews. Period.

Weeding out fake reviews is a team effort. We put all reviews through our multi-step moderation process before they're posted, and then we re-moderate them periodically.

We also depend on the community to let us know when something doesn't seem right. If you suspect that a review is false or exaggerated, please contact us and our team will investigate.

Questions cannot be removed once they're submitted. However, questions can be anonymized to remove any personally identifiable information (PII).

Anonymizing the question can include:

Cropping photos to remove the background and areas not relevant to the question

Removing photos completely

Editing the written portion of the question to remove personal information

Changing your username

Removing your location

If you are concerned about the anonymity of your question, contact us and we will be happy to help.

The Ask a Doctor feature allows you to ask a question about a cosmetic procedure to thousands of board-certified doctors worldwide. You can also browse existing answers to other community members' questions.

To ask a question:

Click Ask a Doctor (this link can also be found in the top banner of the site)

Type your question into the Ask your question box

Add any helpful details or information related to your question in the Question details box

Click Select Photos or drag and drop relevant photos into the Add Photos box

Fill in the Location box

Click Ask Your Question Now

You will receive an on-screen confirmation that lets you know weve received your question. Questions are generally published with 1 business week.

*Please note that questions related to post-op complications or concerns are no longer being published. This is specifically because we found that those questions were not being answered in the amount of time required to address our community members' concerns, and providers refer our members back to their surgeon or treatment provider.In these instances, we recommend that you seek the advice of the physician who performed your procedure by contacting their office.

Click here to view tips from providers on getting answers after your procedure.

If you no longer wish to have content saved to your Favorites, you can delete the content by following these steps:

Click on your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the screen

Click on Favorites

Select the Favorite content you want to remove

In the upper-right corner, click Delete

In the confirmation box that appears, click Delete again.

Thats it! Your Favorites should immediately disappear from the page with all of your saved content.

Favorites are your own space to save and share content that interests you.

Your Favorites are saved to your account and can be viewed by others. Use them to collect and share posts, photos, doctors, and tips that you discover on RealSelf.

Saving content to Favorites also helps to populate your feed with content that interests you.

You may find it helpful to save these kinds of content in Favorites:

Wish pics

Reviews from surgery buddies

Favorite doctors

Helpful answers

Relevant Q&As

To view your Favorites, click on your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the page and select Favoritesfrom the dropdown menu. From there, you'll be able to view, edit, add and remove content.

Most content on RealSelf can be saved to Favorites. Heres how:

Click on the review, photo, question, or answer you want to save.

Click the heart icon in the upper-right corner of the content.

Choose to save the content in an existing Favorites folder or click Add to a new Favorite.

Youll see a small confirmation message in the center of your screen, and the heart icon will now be illuminated, indicating it has been saved.

Have you changed your mind about some of the content you saved in your Favorites? No problem! Heres how to delete an entry:

Click on your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the screen

Click on Favorites

Select the content you want to edit

In the upper-right corner, select Edit

Click the checkboxes next to the entries you want to remove

Click Remove

In the confirmation box that appears, click Delete.

Thats it! The entry will be removed from your Favorites immediately.

Notebooks are easy to access from anywhere on the RealSelf app. On the bottom banner, select Saved and you will be directed to your Notebooks. You can also view your Notebooks by selecting the Me icon and tapping Notebooks.

Notebooks are your own space to save and share content that interests you.

Notebooks are saved to your account and can be viewed by others, so you can use them to collect and share posts, photos, doctors, and tips that you discover on the RealSelf app.

Saving content to Notebooks also helps to populate your Newsfeed with content that interests you.

You may find it helpful to save these types of content in Notebooks:

Wish pics

Reviews from surgery buddies

Favorite doctors

Questions and answers

Questions undergo a short moderation process and generally appear on RealSelf within one business week. You'll receive three emails to help you follow your question:

A confirmation email when you submit your question

An email when your question is available online

An email notifying you that a doctor has answered your question

Sometimes, emails get routed to spam folders by mistake or delayed on their way to you. If you're not sure where to find your question, check your profile page first. This is where all of your published content is listed.

Direct messages are one-on-one conversations with other RealSelf community members. While they are not shared publicly on RealSelf, they are still subject to the RealSelf Code of Conduct.

How to send a message:

Tap on the community members username. Youll be taken to their profile page.

Tap the Paper Airplane icon in the top-right corner of the screen

Type your message in the Write a Message field and tap Send when you're done

You can control the types of email you receive from RealSelf by changing your email preferences. There are two ways to do it:

Via Email. When you receive any email from us, select the link at the bottom to edit your email preferences.

Via Your Profile

Log in to RealSelf.com

Click on the profile icon in the upper-right corner of the page

Select My User Profile from the dropdown menu

Click the Preferences tab on your profile page

Under Configure email preferences select the types of email notifications you'd like to receive

Click Save Preferences

Please note that we may still send you administrative emails relating to your account, such as when we need you to confirm a question or when we're responding to an email you've sent us.

If you uploaded the wrong photo or no longer want a photo showing on your profile, you can delete it via the app. Heres how:

Tap the review update with the photo you want to remove

Select the photo you want removed at the top of the app

Tap the More button (three dots) in the upper-right corner

Tap Delete Photo

You will receive a confirmation message when your photo is deleted

RealSelf Verified gives you peace of mind when choosing a doctor.

High Patient Satisfaction: RealSelf Verified Doctors earn and maintain a minimum patient satisfaction rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Good Medical Standing: We verify the medical license of each RealSelf Verified Doctor every 3 months.

Commitment to Transparency: RealSelf Verified Doctors promptly answer consumer questions, show unedited before and after photos of their most well-known procedures, and list their active board certifications so you can easily find what your doctor is certified in.

Prompt Responses & Expert Answers: RealSelf Verified Doctors commit to responding to member consultation requests within 2 business days.

To find a RealSelf Verified Doctor, and learn more, go to www.realself.com/find#rsn

One question we often hear from community members is What is the difference between Doctor Q&A and Community Q&A?

Here are some general questions to keep in mind when submitting content to make sure it gets to the right spot.

Is the question intended for providers or community members?If youre hoping that other community members will see your post and add a comment, its probably intended to be submitted as a Community Q&A. If youre wishing for a doctor to provide a response, youll want to submit it to the Doctor Q&A.

Are you asking for medical advice or looking for input from others with similar experiences?Only board-certified doctors are able to answer medical-related questions on RealSelf so if youre looking for their advice, youll want to post to the Doctor Q&A. Are you seeking input from other community members who may have gone through a similar experience as you? Your question is better intended for Community Q&A.

Are you looking for doctor recommendations?Since doctors cannot solicit business in the Doctor Q&A, its best if you can post your question to Community Q&A for other community members to make suggestions.

One question we often hear from community members is What is the difference between Doctor Q&A and forum posts?

Here are some general questions to keep in mind when submitting content to make sure it gets to the right spot.

Is the question intended for providers or community members? If youre hoping that other community members will see your post and add a comment, its probably intended to be submitted as a discussion/forum post. If youre wishing for a doctor to provide a response, youll want to submit it to the Doctor Q&A.

Are you asking for medical advice or looking for input from others with similar experiences? Only board-certified doctors are able to answer medical-related questions on RealSelf so if youre looking for their advice, youll want to post to the Doctor Q&A. Are you seeking input from other community members who may have gone through a similar experience as you? Your question is better intended as a discussion/forum post.

Are you looking for doctor recommendations? Since doctors cannot solicit business in the Doctor Q&A, its best if you can post your question as a discussion/forum post for other community members to make suggestions.

Here's how to reset your password:

Click Sign In at the top of the page

SelectE-mail

Click Forgot? under the password field

Enter your username or email address on the next screen

You'll receive an email with a sign-in link. Click the link and you'll be prompted to choose (and confirm) a new password.

Please note that your password must be at least six characters.

$50 Amazon Gift Card

Earn a $50 Amazon gift card when you book your consultation through RealSelf.

*Note: This offer is applicable to surgical procedures only, at this time.

How it works

Onceyou'vecompleted your consult with a RealSelf provider and book your appointment for your procedure, email a copy of your receipt or treatment plan to [email protected].

Our team will process your request and within 5 business days youll receive your $50 Amazon gift card! This offer is while supplies last.

Terms and Conditions

The RealSelf Gift Card Program (the Program) rewards RealSelf users who book consultations with RealSelf providers through the Get a Consultation button on a providers profile. To participate, RealSelf users must agree to these terms, which become part of the RealSelf Terms of Service.

How to Earn Gift Cards

Gift cards will be awarded to users while supplies last and are only redeemable in the US. Only one gift card per person is eligible. In order to receive the gift card, all of the following must be true:

The RealSelf User must book their consultation through the Book a consultation button or link on a providers RealSelf profile.

The RealSelf User must attend the consult with a qualified RealSelf provider.

The RealSelf User must book the procedure appointment with a qualified RealSelf provider; the date of the booked appointment must be after the RealSelf Users consultation request made through RealSelf.

The RealSelf User must be at least 18 years old on the date of the consult.

The RealSelf User has not previously claimed a gift card from RealSelf under the Program. The Program is strictly limited to one claim and redemption of offer per person.

The RealSelf User must submit their receipt to [email protected] by December 31, 2019.

Upon receipt by RealSelf of the official receipt indicating the treatment date, name of the provider, and name of the patient, RealSelf will process the claim and provide the RealSelf user with a gift card by electronic mail, in the amount described in the original offer to the RealSelf user.

RealSelf strictly reserves the right to refuse or revoke a claim made under the Program if it believes, in its sole and unfettered discretion, that a RealSelf User and/or a claim for gift card made under the Program is invalid for any reason whatsoever. RealSelf may suspend or terminate a RealSelf Member account or any claim made by such RealSelf Member, including the RealSelf Members eligibility to participate in the Program, at any time for any reason whatsoever.

Severability

If any provision in these terms is held to be invalid, void, or unenforceable, such provision (or the part of it that is making it invalid, void or unenforceable) will be struck and not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions. This Offer Program is valid only where permitted by law.

Termination and Change

RealSelf may suspend, terminate, or change the Program at any time for any reason whatsoever.

Keeping your email address up-to-date is important so we can verify your account and stay in touch with you. Here's how to update your email address on RealSelf:

Log in to RealSelf.com

Click on your profile icon in the upper-right corner of the page

Select My User Profile from the dropdown menu

Click the Preferences tab on your profile page

Fill in the box labeled Your current password

Fill in the box labeled Your email address with your new email address

Click Save Preferences

Check your inbox! Look for an email from us asking you to confirm these changes.

Click the link in the email to confirm your new email address

Your email address will be updated in our system immediately.

Please note that older emails will not be re-sent to you, so if you're waiting for mail then you may need to ask us to resend a confirmation email if it was sent to your previous email address.

Starting January 15, 2019, inputting your PIN (Personal Identification Number) will not be required when calling an unmasked phone number from a RealSelf inquiry. If you continue to communicate with inquiries received prior to January 15, 2019 through the masked phone number, you will still be prompted to use your PIN only if youre calling from an unverified phone number.

What is a PIN?

Each provider receives a unique PIN (Personal Identification Number), located in the top-left corner of your Dashboard. If you call a masked phone number from a number that is not verified on your RealSelf account, you may be asked to enter the PIN to proceed with the call. The number youre calling from will then be added to your verified number list and you will not need to enter the PIN from this number again.

Where do I find my PIN?

Your PIN is located on your Dashboard. Steps to find your PIN:

Login to RealSelf.com here

Click on your profile icon in the top right corner

Select your dashboard

Your PIN is located below your name

If you are concerned about photos attached to your question, our Customer Support team is happy to help. Just contact us and we will assist in removing your photos or providing anonymization options.

The Privacy Eye on the RealSelf app blurs all images on RealSelf, keeping photos and content hidden from prying eyes. This feature is especially good for browsing RealSelf on public transportation, at the office, or anywhere youdon'twant people to see what youre viewing.

You can toggle the Privacy Eye on and off by clicking the Eye icon in the upper-right corner when viewing content on the Home screen.

For a Physician Assistant or Nurse to answer questions on behalf of a Business Page they will need to be authorized to contribute to the Business Page content. Upon authorization we will send them a welcome email giving them access to the Business Page content.

Learn How to:

Authorize new staff to answer questions on a Business Page

Authorize current staff to answer questions on a Business Page

Answer questions from a Business Page

Log into a Business Page as a staff member

How-To: Authorize new staff to answer questions on a Business Page

To set up your staff to answer questions from your Business Page start by logging onto your Business Page dashboard and select Edit Profile.

Click here to learn how to answer questions

Check the box labeled Show in business page.

Add in the staffs name, email, position, years of experience, and a short biography.

Note: Only staff who are Physician Assistants or have Nurse in their position title are authorized to answer questions on a Business Page.

Check the box to authorize your staff member to answer minimally invasive questions.

Note: Nurses and Physician Assistants are restricted to questions on Toxins, Fillers, and Coolsculpting.

Add your staff members photo to the Business Page profile by either dragging the image into the box or clicking Select Files.

Then click the Add Staff Member button.

Ask your staff member to check their email for a welcome email giving them access to answer questions on the Business Page.

Note: If you have difficulty adding and authorizing a staff member to answer questions on your Business page please ensure the staff members email address is not currently being used on RealSelf.com for a consumer profile. For additional support please connect (verbiage about having 1 staff connected to multiple locations)

How-To: Authorize current staff to answer questions on a Business Page

To set up your staff to answer questions from your Business Page start by logging onto your Business Page dashboard and select Edit Profile.

Choose a current staff member who is a Physician Assistant or has "Nurse" in their position title and Click on their profile card.

Confirm that the Show Profile box is checked, then check the box under May Answer to authorize them to answer minimally invasive questions on the business page.

Click the Save Changes button.

Ask them to check their email for a welcome email giving them access to answer questions on the profile.

Congratulations, your current Business Page staff member will now have access to answer minimally invasive consumer questions.

How-to: Answer Questions from a Business Page

Log in to the Business Page Dashboard from the profile icon at the top right of the webpage.

From the menu on the right of the dashboard Expand the Q&A dropdown and click Answer Questions.

To Filter the questions you see by topic, Expand the topic filter and Select the treatment you wish to contribute to.

Note: Business Pages may currently answer questions on Toxins, Fillers and CoolSculpting.

Choose the question you wish to answer and click the Answer this Question button to be taken to the full question in the RealSelf community.

If, after reading the full question and reviewing other provider answers you still wish to answer the question click the Answer this Question button under the question.

Note: Other providers may have already answered this question, but that is ok. Answering the question tells local consumers that you care about this treatment option and will help you gain visibility.

To answer the question give your answer a Title. Then add Your Answer to the answer text box. If you have a relevantvideo that will answer or compliment your answer already loaded to your Business Page you may choose it from the Add a Video drop down menu. Then click Submit your answer.

Note: Remember to format your answer as an opinion and not advice.

Note: If your video is not already loaded to your Business Page it will not be available to select from the video library.

Answers to questions will be posted within 2 business days, and will be seen on RealSelf.com and on your Business Page.

How-to: Log Into a Business Page as a Staff Member

For a staff member to be authorized to make edits to a Business Page they must have a profile on that account. Learn how to add a Staff Member

When an account is created the staff member will receive a Welcome Email with a Log in link giving them instant access to the Business Page Q&A area.

To log in, Go to the welcome email and Click on the Log in Now button.

Your welcome email link will take you to your Business Page dashboard where you can answer questions from the Q&A section.

The RealSelf app is available for all Apple mobile devices, including iPhone and iPad. You can find it here or by searching for RealSelf in the App Store.

Did you know that nearly half of RealSelf users access the site to find stories and reviews from members like you, and 40 percent want to see at least 11 authentic reviews before making a decision?

Reviews are the most important part of the RealSelf experience and we want you to share yours so you can help others make smart, confident decisions!

Here are some insider tips to get you started:

1. Include photos and videos. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and reviews with photos and videos are no exception. In fact, 75 percent of community members say that aside from cost information, photos are the most important part of a review whenthey'reresearching providers and treatments. Photos and videos are optional but really help illustrate and explain your story. Theyre also a great way to track your progress throughout your healing process so you can see your results as they happen.

2. Are you pre-op? Don't worry, you can still start a review even if you haven't had surgery. You can always update your review details (surgery date, cost, worth it rating, and provider) along your journey.

3. Reviews are like journals. Once you share your experience, you can post updates along your journey. Adding an update allows you to post new information about your research and results. Whether its a consultation you had with a doctor or photos, videos or updates youd like to share about your healing process --you own your story to share with the Community!

4. Was the procedure/treatment Worth It? The Worth It and provider rating fields in the review form are opportunities to give other community members visibility into whether you would recommend your provider, treatment or procedure you received. This helps other community members as they research the best treatment or doctor for them. Be honest and let the community know if your experience was Worth It or Not Worth It!

5. Describe your experience, but also be respectful. Sometimes your procedure or treatment doesnt go as planned. RealSelf welcomes both positive and negative reviews, however please be respectful when sharing your story. If youre unhappy with your results, describe that in your review butdon'tname-call or personally attack your provider. If you have questions on whats acceptable to write in a review, please read our Community Guidelines.

6.Have concerns about sharing your story publicly? If youre still on the fence about sharing your experience, know that youdon'tneed to provide any details that you deem too personal or photos that may identify you in some way. When you create an account to share your story with other members of the RealSelf Community, you can also choose to make your username as anonymous as you want to protect your privacy and you can change your username in your settings at any time.

Once your review is submitted, it will be checked by our moderation team and published within two business days. You'll receive an email as soon as your review is available. If you have any questions on the status of your review, feel free to contact us. Our team is happy to help!

When you ask a question, it is automatically distributed to doctors in specific areas of expertise. Doctors participate in their free time and post answers at their discretion, so sometimes it can take several days to receive a reply.

We're unable to guarantee how many doctors will reply to any particular question. The most common reason doctors don't reply is because the question requires an in-person examination to provide a good response. In addition, photos can increase the chance that you will receive a reply.

Frequently asked questions are also less likely to receive answers, so be sure to browse the list of questions that have already been asked to see if your question has already been posted by someone else.

Never! Every review that meets our Terms of Service is published. Good and bad reviews are treated equally.

Wondering why some reviews are declined? Here are some common reasons.

We recommend reading a variety of reviews when you research. You can find negative reviews by clicking on the "Lowest Rating" sorting option on a doctor's page, or the "Not Worth It" filter on any treatment page.

Reviews are an important part of the RealSelf experience. They give you a centralized place to find support before and after your procedure or treatment, while also documenting your experience for others who are considering their own surgical or non-surgical options.

Reviews also let you rate your doctor and vote on whether a procedure was "Worth It" or not: two decision-making tools that help others.

To start writing about your experience, click Start Your Review from the main menu on any RealSelf page and follow the steps below.

Fill the boxes with the information required

Add photos and videos (optional)

Click Submit

Sign in to your RealSelf account

Wait for the confirmation screen to load. This can take anywhere from a few seconds to 1-2 minutes, depending on your Internet speed and the size of any photos you'd added. Don't close the page until the confirmation screen comes up.

Here are some tips for writing a review:

Are you pre-op? Don't worry, you can still start a review even if you haven't had surgery. Just enter your pre-op details before submitting your story. You can always update your details along your journey.

Photos and videos. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and reviews with photos and videos are no exception. These are optional but they really add to the review and help explain your story. It's also a great way to track your progress throughout your healing process so you can see your results as they happen.

That's it! Your review will be checked by our moderation team and published within one business week. You'll receive an email as soon as your review is available. In the meantime, you can browse the forums, ask questions, or even review another treatment.

There are high-quality doctors whoaren'tRealSelf Verified--at least not yet!

Doctors and providers have to apply for this designation. The RealSelf Verified badge on a provider profile means that the provider meets our high standards of trust and transparency. This includes verified credentials, medical license in good standing, a history of positive reviews, commitment to responding to inquiries sent via RealSelf in a timeline manner, and including a standard set of facts and content, including hospital privileges, procedure specific years of experience, patient reviews, unedited before and after photos, and Q&A.

We encourage you to do your research to identify the right provider for you; here is a helpful article on steps we recommend to choose the right provider for you.

Questions cannot be edited once they are posted. However, you can update your question if you have additional information you would like to share and the question hasnt yet received answers.

You can also contact us and we may be able to assist you in making your desired edits.

If you no longer like your username or want to change it to remain anonymous, you can do it directly through the app.

Tap Me in the lower-right corner of the app

Tap the Settings icon in the upper-right corner to access your settings

Tap Edit Your Profile

In the Username field, change to your desired username (a note will appear if the username is already taken)

Tap the Save button

There are three ways to access received messages:

Email

Depending on your email settings, you may get email notifications for new messages. Hit the Reply button in the email to be taken directly to the message.

Notification Feed

Tap the Me icon in the lower-right corner of the app

Select Notifications from the list

New direct messages will be listed in your notification feed (as well as comment replies and updates to reviews you follow)

Inbox

Tap on the Me icon in the lower-right corner of the app

Select Inbox Conversations

Select a message to view the entire thread

Type a response into the Write a Messagefield and tap Send to reply to the message

Share Helpful Details

Consumers love photos they can relate to and doctors can facilitate this process by sharing specific details in the "Caption" field.Helpful captions include:

Particular techniques, settings, products, and devices used

Area(s) or problem(s) treated

Relevant patient info (e.g. age, weight, desired outcome)

Time elapsed between procedure and after photo

Factual info about procedure or treatment vs conjecture about patient satisfaction or 'happiness' with results (i.e, 'the patient loved her results' is subjective and unverifiable)

Best Practices

Doctors should upload photos they would show to prospective patients.Good lighting and photos of a uniform size will enhance the quality of your photo gallery.

Doctors should include photos of patients in all shapes, sizes and skin tones - consumers will look for photos that look like them so the more variety, the better

Doctors should NOT include any unnecessary nudity (for instance, bare breasts on tummy tuck photos) unless it is relevant to the procedure performed.

Doctors should check off relevant tags for the photos when uploading to allow consumers the ability to find photos easily

Doctors should avoid posting photos that are blurry, distorted, askew, or show mismatched views. Borders and text are also not allowed in the RealSelf photo galleries.

Doctors can manage the order of their photo gallery via the links in their dashboard

For Dr. Spotlight sponsors, uploading photos in sponsored treatments will allow more opportunity for local promotion in sponsored area(s)

ALL uploaded photos must adhere to the RealSelf Photo Gallery Guidelines.

Check Out: 5 Ways to Protect Patient Privacy (Yet Still Promote Your Practice)

How much does it cost to participate in the pilot? How long does the program last? How do I handle incoming email leads? What if my staff responds to the lead before the Connect Assist? Will you also handle my phone leads? What happens if my staff doesnt answer the phone? Will you provide any reporting on the the types of leads or on the availability of my staff as part of the pilot? Will you offer any additional marketing campaigns as part of Connect Assistant program? How much does it cost to participate in the pilot? There is no cost to participate in the pilot. However, if you choose to stop advertising on RealSelf you will be removed from the Connect program.

How long does the program last? We communicated to Doctors that the Pilot will run for 90 days. We will continue to reassess and modify the program as each pilot nears completion.

How do I handle incoming email leads? Doctors participating in the Connect program should not reply to any email lead originating from RealSelf. All leads will initially be handled by Connect Assistants and then handed off to the office management staff.

What if my staff responds to the lead before the Connect Assist? If a member of your staff does reach a lead prior to the RealSelf Connect Assistant please send an email to [email protected] with the contacts name so the Assistant does not reach out to the lead.

Will you also handle my phone leads? No. We are limiting assistance to email leads.

What happens if my staff doesnt answer the phone? If your staff is unavailable when the RealSelf Connect Assistant calls with a lead, the Assistant will schedule a follow-up call with the user at their desired time. Once scheduled, the Assistant will send a summary email to the practices primary point of contact with a summary of call and detailed call-back instructions.

Will you provide any reporting on the the types of leads or on the availability of my staff as part of the pilot? Yes. RealSelf will provide participating doctors a detailed report every Monday morning tracking lead results from the previous weeks.

Will you offer any additional marketing campaigns as part of Connect Assistant program? No, not during the pilot phase of the program. However, we are continually evaluating tools and features that make it easier for RealSelf doctors to handle leads. If you feel that this would be a useful feature please let your RealSelf Advisor know.

Currently, the RealSelf app is only available on Apple mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad. We do plan to develop an app for other mobile devices in the future.

How do I get started with Q&A?

Best practices

What are the guidelines for answering questions?

How do I get started with Q&A?

First, go to "Edit my profile" and make sure that you have selected all of the procedures that you offer, because we make questions available to you based on the treatments you perform and select.Once you have listed your treatments, there are 3 ways to discover questions to answer on RealSelf:

Navigate to your dashboard and go to "Answer questions now" in the Q&A section. Click on a topic and a list of questions will appear on the page.

Sign up to have new questions sent to you by email. Go to the "Email Setting" section in your dashboard and tell us what topics you're interested in and how often you'd like to receive emails.

Click on "Ask a Doctor" at the top of each RealSelf page to see the most recently asked questions.

Best practices

Write answers as "opinions" and not "advice"

Statements such as "In my opinion," "In my past experience," or "In similar situations that Ive handled..." can help delineate opinions from advice. This is an opportunity to show your expertise.

Be educational

Refrain from overt marketing or self-promotion. Helping a potential patient be informed and showing them you care about the community helps establish trust prior to meeting you in person.

Answer questions based on popularity

Getting started can be as simple as a search on RealSelf.com. And regardless of where the question originated, consider answering it. Patients near you will navigate to popular questions, helping build further awareness among the treatment-specific communities for your Business Page.

Answer as if you are the only provider who is posting an answer

Your answer needs to be able to stand alone and should be authentic and not a canned response. Take the time to ensure it represents your expertise.

Utilize a treatment video to answer a question

If you have already begun adding short treatment videos to your Business Page, you can now include them in your answers. Want to learn more about treatment videos? Check out "4 Tips to Video Victory on RealSelf University."

What are the guidelines for answering questions?

All content on RealSelf must comply with the RealSelf Terms of Service and Code of Conduct; this applies to provider answers also. The main guidelines to be aware of are:

Character requirements

Ensure the answer is at least 100 characters in length. Anything less than this unlikely to adequately answer the consumer's question.

Directing the consumer outside of the RealSelf website

Don't including web links in the answer. There is a web reference box for this purpose.

Don't direct the consumer to click on third party links, including those within the web reference box.

Self-promotion - Please do not include:

Phone numbers

Addresses

Email addresses

Social media handles

A call to action (CTA) - E.G. "Call us and come in for a consultation" or "Check out our website," etc.

Answers must match the question

We don't encourage the use of templates; however, if they are used they must be customized to the specific question and adequately answer the question, not just match the topic.

Excessive grammatical or spelling errors

Prohibited use of all capital letters

Prohibited use of extra characters in order to meet the character requirement

Failure to meet the spirit of RealSelf

Answers should be polite and without judgment

Keep it professional

Don't disparage the consumer or other doctors or specialities

Avoid sarcasm

Every answer must be educational

Refrain from overt marketing or self-promotion

Each answer must be original and your own

Don't recycle another provider's answer and submit it as your own

Refrain from listing your practice information, phone number, website or signature

Members can click to your profile to obtain this information. Self-promotion will decrease your credibility when answering questions.

You can find a complete list of guidelines, including the Terms of Service and HCP Code of Conduct, here. Once a provider shows consistent compliance with RealSelf guidelines, your answers will be eligible to be added as "autopublish." This means they are published immediately without prior moderation, but may still be subject to random auditing.The answers you provide serve as content for your profile and will help engage consumers to learn more about your expertise and "virtual bedside manner." For assistance in answering questions, contact your Doctor Community Advisor.Check Out: Less Advertising, More Content Marketing

A doctors reviews are the most influential factor in a potential patients decision to contact a practice.In a recent survey of RealSelf users, 81% identified patient reviews as critical for them to research before selecting a doctor to contact. In fact, 86% of consumers on RealSelf would not choose a doctor without a review.Clearly, the number and nature of the reviews patients post about your practice can mean the difference between prospective patients choosing you, or the doctor down the road.But lets face it. Getting patients to post reviews is a challenge. In a survey of aesthetic doctors, respondents identified getting patients to post reviews as the single biggest digital challenge they face.So how can you reap the benefits of proactively harnessing the power and influence of your patients perspectives to help attract new patients?The Patient Engage tool helps doctors enjoy the benefits of great word of mouth without the hassle of directly soliciting your patients or worrying about running afoul of HIPAA regulations. Patient Engage makes it easy to ask patients to share their experiences with the RealSelf community in two ways - targeted email requests sent to your patientsand a widget on your website. In addition to Patient Engage, below are some tips to drive patients to take action. Some of this is borrowed from Dr. Grant Stevens, who has lectured on what he's done to get high rates of follow through from his patients.

Step 1: Collect important information during a patients first visit

During the intake process, ask the patient to share how she uses the Internet. Here are two sample questions to ask when registering a new patient:(1) The web is becoming a key way patients learn about our practice. Do you participate in any of the following? (check all that apply)

Yelp

Facebook

Twitter

Angie's List

RealSelf

Blogging: If yes, where can we see it? http://________________

(2) What website(s) did you find helpful to use in researching our practice or the procedure?Include their answers in their chart.Why collect this information? When it comes time to ask them to share their experience online, you can refer back to their channels of choice.In addition, if a patient is a blogger or checks two or more boxes, they are "social" and much more likely to feel comfortable posting a review.

Step2: Ask for a favor. Not a review.

The way you phrase your request can make a big difference in how its received. Asking for a favor can appeal to your patients good will and can increase the chances that she posts a review for your practice. When your patient says, "of course," explain that you really value her opinion and feedback on her experience with your practice and the procedure. Request that they please post about it online, anonymously should they wish, and share their unbiased feelings.Dont forget to also reference what the patient said in the check-in process. For example, "I see you like Yelp. That's a great place for you to share your experience about our practice."

Step 3: Hand a card to your patient

Dont let a patient leave her post-op appointment without handing her your custom review card. On the card should be a link/URL that drives patients to your review site(s) of choice or to a page on your own website that includes links to your preferred online review sites, including a link to your RealSelf review form.The card can serve as a friendly push for patients with good intentions but poor follow through who need a reminder of where and how to post their review, and will help ensure that your last impression with a patient is a lasting one.

Step 4: Establish a deadline

This is the critical step that most practices skip. People respond to taking an action whenthey'regiven a deadline. Deadlines force us to prioritize our responsibilities and limit procrastination. It may feel a bit awkward to propose a timeline, but it's a proven technique!If the patient says they'll post that evening, then say "I'll be looking for it tonight." This helps trigger a sense of urgency and inspire patient follow through. Your office may also want to use tools like Patient Engage to send a reminder email to patients several days following their appointment, with links to the reviews page on your website or links to your preferred review sites. . Read more about Patient Engage here or contact your RealSelf Advisor for more info at (206) 624-9357 x4..

Reviews on RealSelf are like blogs. You can add new entries, photos, or videos and make changes to your ratings at any time.

To create a new entry:

Click the gray Add an Update button at the top of your review page

Fill in the form with a title and text entry

Add photos or video (optional)

When you're finished, click Post Update to save your entry.

Your review update will be posted immediately. Thanks for sharing your progress!

Reviews are the community members space to share their story. RealSelf only removes reviews in two cases:

The reviewer requests removal

The review violates our Terms of Service

Wedon'tremove reviews for any other reason.

What are the most common reasons reviews violate our guidelines?

If you have questions about a review removed from RealSelf, let us know and well be happy to hel p.

If you have stopped getting RealSelf emails, you may have accidentally marked previous communications as spam. Please contact our Customer Support team and they will check your settings.

Are you ready to speak with a doctor? Great! Were gladyou'vemade the decision to take this important next step in your research.

Its also OK to be nervous or second guess yourself. We understandto support you, RealSelf has a dedicated team to help people connect you with the right practice or board-certified doctor for your needs.

Aptly named Connect, this team helps respond to inquiries from people like you who want more information about treatments, costs, and setting up consultations. Were happy to hear your story, help you find answers to your questions, and connect you to the right provider for you.

We answered some of the top questions weve heard on our calls here because they might help you too.

1. Who are you and why are you calling me?

The Connect program helps many doctors on RealSelf give an extra layer of customer service to potential customers like you. Connect team members take your request and contact you to connect you directly to the doctors office by phone. RememberConnect team members are a direct line between RealSelf and the doctors office andthey'rehappy to help answer your questions.

2. Who will I connect with at the practice?

In addition to the medical staff, most practices offer patient care coordinators who also answer patient questions and set up consultations. Sometimes they assist the doctor by setting up in-office procedures or coordinating surgical procedures. You may also speak with a receptionist who takes phone calls, schedules appointments, and greets patients when they arrive at the office.

3. Who will be performing my treatment?

This depends on the treatment youre scheduling. For instance, many nonsurgical treatmentslike injectable fillers or non-surgical fat reductioncan be performed by a nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistant (PA), or registered nurse (RN) with specialized training. Some skin care treatmentslike chemical peels or laser resurfacingcan be delivered by a medical aesthetician. Any surgical procedure should be performed by a licensed and board-certified doctor, so make sure you research and ask about their training and credentials. (Tip: you can find the credentials of every doctor on RealSelf under the About tab on their profile.)

4. How much is my treatment going to cost?

The cost of any treatment will vary with each person and practice. Some factors affecting the price of a procedure are the time spent with your medical provider, time spent in the operating room, and amount of anesthesia needed. If youre getting a non-surgical treatment such as injectable fillers, the cost can vary per syringe or amount of product needed and the type of medical provider performing the treatment. For instance, getting your fillers from a trained clinician like an RN or PA may lower the price you pay for the procedure. Having a non-surgical treatment performed by an MD or DO is typically more expensive as their time is often dedicated to surgical procedures.

In general, its best to have your doctors office answer this question, but we do have a resource so you can see what other RealSelf users have paid in your area. Check out our Treatment pages to get a sense for the average price for treatments in your area.

5. I thought the consultation was free. Why does the office ask for my credit card information?

Many offices will ask for your credit card information to place a deposit on your appointment even if the consultation is free. This is requested to prevent any no-show or missed appointments. Often your deposit will apply toward your treatment with the office. (Tip: mention you saw the doctor on RealSelf to take advantage of any special promotions the office may offer RealSelf members.)

6. Why do I need a consultation? I know what I want and Ive already met with other doctors.

Medicine is both an art and science; not all doctors have similar training, experience, or technique for the procedure you choose. To serve you better, doctors like to see their potential patients either virtually or in person to make sure all your questions are answered, set expectations around outcomes, and help you understand exactly how they will proceed with your surgical or non-surgical procedure.

7.I'mstill in the early stages of my research. What do I need to know while I consider additional doctors?

Its common to meet with more than one doctor to see if they have different recommendations for you. You can Find a Doctor on RealSelf or have one of our Connect representatives guide you to find doctors that meet your criteria. Our doctor community has also shared their expert advice and recommendations for finding a good plastic surgeon.

The Find a Doctor tool will help you locate a board-certified provider near you.

To get started, enter a doctor or treatment in the first box. You can use the second box to find providers near you, or fill in another location to change your search.

There is no charge to contact a provider and many offer free consultations. Use the Get a Consultation button or fill in the email form on the doctor's profile, to get in touch. Your personal information is protected by the RealSelf Privacy Policy.