Dr. Emil Kohan, a board-certified plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California, has announced the launch of the Choose Knowledge First Pledge, a personal initiative designed to encourage individuals to slow down, ask better questions, and make thoughtful decisions before pursuing cosmetic procedures or significant appearance-related changes. The pledge, inspired by principles guiding Dr. Kohan's career, promotes education, personal responsibility, and long-term thinking over quick decisions driven by social media or fleeting beauty trends.
“Patients don’t want to become someone else,” Dr. Kohan said. “They want to look like the best version of themselves.” He believes this philosophy extends beyond aesthetic medicine. “Science and creativity should work together,” he added. “The best decisions come from combining good information with thoughtful reflection.”
The initiative arrives amid a surge in cosmetic procedures. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 1.6 million cosmetic surgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2024, alongside millions of minimally invasive procedures. Concurrently, research has found that frequent exposure to appearance-focused social media content is associated with greater body dissatisfaction, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Medical organizations continue to emphasize patient education, informed consent, and realistic expectations as essential components of cosmetic care, while surveys show many people spend hours daily consuming content that shapes perceptions of appearance and self-image.
Dr. Kohan hopes the pledge will encourage individuals to pause before making important decisions. “The goal isn’t to chase trends,” he said. “The goal is to create results that fit the individual and stand the test of time.” He also stressed the importance of continuous learning in medicine. “Medicine never stands still. The responsibility of a surgeon is to continue learning and improving.”
The Choose Knowledge First Pledge commits Dr. Kohan to seven personal actions: continuing learning through weekly study of new research and techniques; encouraging questions before decisions to foster honest conversations; prioritizing individualized care over trends; choosing long-term outcomes over short-term popularity; communicating honestly about benefits, limitations, and recovery; contributing to education through research and lectures; and leading by example through curiosity and discipline. “The details matter,” Dr. Kohan said. “Small decisions can have a major impact on the final result.”
In addition to the pledge, Dr. Kohan offers a do-it-yourself toolkit for thoughtful decision-making, including steps like writing down reasons for a major change, waiting 48 hours before appearance-related decisions influenced by social media, learning something new for 15 minutes daily, and comparing current goals with five-year aspirations. The toolkit also includes a 30-day progress tracker with daily actions such as learning something new, pausing before decisions, asking thoughtful questions, and focusing on personal goals. Weekly reflection questions help participants assess learning, thoughtful decisions, and improvement areas.
Dr. Kohan invites individuals, students, healthcare professionals, educators, parents, and community members to adopt the pledge and share the free toolkit. He hopes the initiative sparks conversations about thoughtful decision-making, realistic expectations, lifelong learning, and personal responsibility—values that extend well beyond aesthetic medicine. “The goal is always to get better,” Dr. Kohan said. “That’s how meaningful progress happens.”
