You’ve done your research and set up a consultation with a board-certified aesthetic plastic surgeon… but now what? The consultation is an opportunity to make sure your surgeon has the proper qualifications and experience and is a good fit for you. It’s also an opportunity for the surgeon to make sure you are a good candidate for plastic surgery, and if so, provide recommendations on what procedures(s) they think are best for you and how they would approach your surgery or treatment.
How do I prepare for my consultation?
It’s important to prepare for your consultation before you arrive. This step will help you communicate your needs and concerns to your aesthetic plastic surgeon and the office staff.
What to bring:
- Copies of your medical records or information about your medical history
- A list of medications you are currently taking
- Thoughts or written notes describing what you don’t like about your current appearance, what you’d like to change, and why you’d like to change it
- A list of questions to ask your surgeon
- Photos of results you admire or before and after images from your surgeon's online gallery
- A form of payment to cover the consultation fee (note: in some cases, this will be deducted from your procedure cost)
Be prepared to discuss:
- Previous surgeries or non-invasive treatments
- Past and present medical conditions and family history of medical conditions
- Allergies
- Your history of smoking, drinking, drugs, or other factors that may influence healing
- Your desired results
What happens during a consultation?
Your surgeon will do a thorough evaluation and answer all your questions. Be open and honest during your consultation to make sure you get the most out of it.
During your consultation, your aesthetic plastic surgeon will:
- Review your medical history and assess whether you are a good candidate for plastic surgery
- Conduct an examination and likely take photographs
- Have an in-depth conversation with about your options and risks
- Recommend a specific procedure (or combination of procedures) that best meet your needs and provide you with a general approach for your surgery or treatment. With more complex cases, your surgeon may ask to take some time to think about your unique circumstance then come back to you with a customized approach
- Share before and after photos of cases similar to yours.
- Explain to you the outcomes you can anticipate. Your surgeon may be able to use special technology to show you what your end results will look like
- Tell you how to best prepare for your surgery and explain what you can expect to experience during and after surgery
- Inform you of the financial investment required for the procedure(s)
- Provide answers to any of your questions
What happens after your consultation
Don’t feel pressured to make a decision to proceed during your consultation. Take some time after to weigh your options and make sure you are comfortable before you book anything.
What you should know before booking a procedure:
- Surgeon’s qualifications
- The procedure (or combination of procedures) your surgeon recommends and the surgical approach
- Preparation required of you
- Where your procedure will take place and how long it will take
- The anesthetic that will be used (if applicable)
- An understanding of what results are realistic for you (including whether there will be scarring and where)
- Total costs for your procedure
- Risks associated with your procedure (and safety precautions to limit those risks)
- Recovery time required
Once you’ve done your research and completed your consultation, you should be able to make an educated decision on whether plastic surgery is right for you and whether a surgeon is a good fit. If you leave a consultation and still have questions, call the office and ask! A good aesthetic plastic surgeon will be more than happy to make sure all your questions are answered prior to proceeding.
It’s important you feel comfortable with your surgeon and confident in their abilities. If you feel rushed, uncomfortable, unsure of their qualifications, or don’t get the answers you need, then you may want to set up a consultation with another surgeon before you proceed. Our find a surgeon feature can help you find a board-certified aesthetic plastic surgeon in your area, and you can set up a consultation directly through our platform.