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 people to slow down, ask better questions, and make thoughtful decisions before pursuing cosmetic procedures or other appearance-related changes.
The pledge, inspired by principles that have guided Dr. Kohan’s career, promotes education, personal responsibility, and long-term thinking over quick decisions driven by social media or shifting 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 applies beyond aesthetic medicine, noting that ‘science and creativity should work together. The best decisions come from combining good information with thoughtful reflection.’
The initiative comes at a time when cosmetic procedures remain common. 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 more minimally invasive procedures. Meanwhile, research has found that frequent exposure to appearance-focused social media content is linked to 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.
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 that learning should never stop, stating, ‘Medicine never stands still. The responsibility of a surgeon is to continue learning and improving.’
The Choose Knowledge First Pledge outlines seven personal commitments: continuing learning throughout one’s career, encouraging questions before decisions, prioritizing individualized care, choosing long-term outcomes over short-term popularity, communicating honestly about benefits and limitations, contributing to education through research and lectures, and leading by example through curiosity and discipline.
In addition to the pledge, Dr. Kohan provides a do-it-yourself toolkit for thoughtful decision-making. The toolkit includes steps such as writing down reasons before making a major change, waiting 48 hours before appearance-related decisions influenced by social media, learning something new for 15 minutes daily, and comparing today’s goals with where one wants to be in five years. It also suggests following educational resources instead of trend-focused accounts and spending one day each week without comparing oneself to others online.
A 30-day progress tracker encourages participants to check daily actions like learning something new, pausing before decisions, asking thoughtful questions, focusing on personal goals, and taking small steps toward long-term objectives. Weekly reflection questions help assess progress.
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.’
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