This Is the Most Important Question to Ask When Heading to a Plastic Surgeon

When it comes to plastic surgery, a good rule of thumb for anyone thinking about going under the knife might be, don't go overboard. That is, according to Cary Deuber. And you might want to heed that advice from The Real Housewives of Dallas 'Wife, who is a registered nurse with an aesthetic injectable practice, and works as an operative assistant at her husband's plastic surgery practice.

"I think that people tend to get too much plastic surgery. Less is more," Cary told The Lookbook. "It's kind of the 'to, for' rule. We don't want to do more to you, than for you. I always tell my patients we like to have natural-looking results. We stick to that, very conservative."

Speaking of folks who may have taken on too many procedures at once, Cary cited Renee Zellweger's buzzy 2014 transformation, which caught everyone's attention when she walked a red carpet after being out of the spotlight for some time. But, Cary isn't quick to judge the actress.

Renee at the 21st Annual ELLE Women In Hollywood Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on October 20, 2014. 

"I think she did look different, but I didn't think it looked bad. I just think she looked a lot different and people weren't used to it," Cary said. "So, I think, it's maybe one of those kind of slowly do things, versus being like pow. After plastic surgery you want to look like you're well rested. Like, 'Oh, did you get a great night's sleep last night?' Not like 'Oh, what the hell did you do to yourself?' You want it to be natural."

Which brings us to one of the most important aspects of getting work done: making sure you choose the right doctor. "You have to be very careful. There are a lot of plastic surgeons who aren't even plastic surgeons," Cary explained, noting that anyone from a gynecologist to an ear, nose, and throat doctor can attempt plastic surgery. "There are certain boards that you look for. They need to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, not cosmetic surgery — that one's not recognized by the boards. You have to do some research [and make sure they are] board-certified in plastic and reconstructive surgery."

That means you should do your homework, make sure your doctor is "reputable," and that he or she completed a residency in plastic surgery — plus one other thing. "It's not even just that. It's even just finding an honest person. Finding and honest, honest plastic surgeon who isn't gonna do stuff just to take your money," Cary explained. "They're gonna do it because they want to help you and they want to help you get to where your goals are. As long as your goals are reasonable."

Get to know some more Housewives secrets to looking great, below.