What Can I Expect At a Consultation?
The consultation is usually the first step of your cosmetic surgery journey, and, arguably, the most important because it sets the groundwork for your eventual procedure. The consultation is an interview for the surgeon, a learning experience for you, a medical examination to determine your candidacy for a procedure, and an opportunity to learn about your options. Each consultation should last for approximately 1 to 2 hours, giving you enough time to understand each stage of the procedure and clarify your concerns.
The following are the steps involved in your consultation.
1. Paperwork and preliminary discussions with the office staff and medical assistant.
Before you step into the surgeon’s office for your consultation, you’ll have to check in with the front desk to complete your paperwork and registration. In some cases, you might meet a medical assistant or nurse practitioner who notes down your medical history, medications, supplements, and other relevant details. You must be completely honest while discussing your history with medication usage because it might be pertinent to your candidacy for a procedure.
2. The initial consultation and discussion with the surgeon.
Your meeting with the surgeon will be a two-way conversation. They’ll ask a series of questions to determine your candidacy for various procedures, understand your goals and expectations, and select the ideal treatments for your specific needs. Meanwhile, you should take the time to interview them about their experience, skills, background, track record, and other concerns. Based on your two-way conversation, you should determine how comfortable you are with the surgeon.
The surgeon will discuss the following:
- Your cosmetic and functional goals
- What you want to change about your body and why
- How you feel currently or want to feel after the treatment
- Your treatment options and how they can help
- The results you expect after the procedure
- The procedure details, including the anesthesia and timeline
- What you can expect during the recovery period
- The potential risks and complications from the surgery
- Your medical history
- Your history of medications and recreational drugs
- The general demands of your lifestyle and profession
You can ask the following questions:
- How many years of experience do you have?
- Are you board-certified, and what’s your training background?
- How many times have you performed the procedure you’ll perform on me?
- What have your past results been like?
- Do you have before and after pictures for me?
- Where will the surgery be performed?
- Who delivers the anesthesia?
- Have you encountered complications during surgeries? How do you deal with them?
- Do you have recommendations for other procedures and treatments for me?
- What kind of downtime can I expect?
- Will you be on call if I have questions and concerns after the treatment?
3. An assessment of the treatment areas
Following the two-way conversation, discussion of medical history, and interview, the surgeon will assess the potential treatment areas. In most cases, you’ll be in your clothes during the assessment. However, if the treatment area involves your breast or body, the surgeon will give you the privacy to change into a robe for the examination. The surgeon may take specific measurements and recommend some tests. The assessment will help them better identify the ideal treatment options for their particular needs.
4. Discussing the cost and financing options.
At the end of the consultation, once you’ve decided about the procedure you want to pursue, the surgical practice will provide a detailed breakdown of the costs involved. The analysis should involve all the relevant prices for the anesthesia, surgeon’s fees, etc. You should also ask how long the quote is valid — most quotes are suitable for a few months.
The quote should include the following details:
- Surgeon’s fees
- Anesthesia fees
- Operating room costs
- Additional devices, such as implants
- Medications
- Follow-up appointments
You can also discuss your insurance coverage options (if eligible) and financing options. Most surgical centers help on both fronts, providing free insurance verification and helping you with your financing options. Once you’ve gone through the entire process, you can also consult other clinics or schedule your procedure.