If you’ve been curious about or interested in plastic surgery, the first step is requesting a consultation—in fact, we consider a plastic surgery consultation as absolutely essential! It’s an opportunity to meet with a plastic surgeon to learn more about them and understand the plan for any procedure. Below, you can learn all of the reasons why requesting a cosmetic surgery consultation is the best thing you’ll ever do!
Check Your Surgeon’s Credentials
When you meet with your surgeon, you get to ask them about their credentials and experience. Remember, you get to be picky with your plastic surgeon: Just because you agree to meet with them for a plastic surgery consultation does not mean that you have already decided which surgeon you will choose. Use this opportunity to conduct an informal “job interview” with your surgeon. Make sure they are accredited and have years of experience performing plastic surgery.
See If You Are Comfortable with Your Plastic Surgeon
It is important to get to know your plastic surgeon before agreeing to undergo a procedure with them. You need to know that you can trust this individual to do what is best for your health and well-being. During your consultation, you can pepper your surgeon with questions so that you get a good sense of who they are as a person. Here are some things to think about in regards to your surgeon post-consultation:
- Do you trust them? Did they make a good first impression?
- Do you like them? Did you enjoy talking to them?
- Do they communicate well? Do they speak in a relatable, down-to-earth manner, or are you often struggling to understand what they have to say?
- Do they seem transparent and genuine, or do you feel like they are a “salesman” trying to secure a payday?
You should only work with a plastic surgeon you feel comfortable with. For those who are a good judge of character, nothing can compare to looking your plastic surgeon in the eye during a consultation to try to determine the type of person they are.
Determine Which Procedure Will Get You the Results You Desire
During a plastic surgery consultation, your plastic surgeon will examine your appearance, medical records, and desired results. Then, they’ll determine which surgery (or series of surgeries) would work best for your needs.
You may go into a consultation with a specific procedure in mind, but an experienced plastic surgeon will present you with a plan that will achieve your aesthetic needs with the least amount of inconvenience possible. That can mean combining multiple surgeries into one procedure, meaning you only need to undergo anesthesia and recover from surgery one time.
Get an Accurate Cost Estimate
Once your plastic surgeon has devised a plastic surgery plan, they can provide you with an accurate cost estimate. Most plastic surgery procedures are customized to the patient, allowing the surgeon to take a unique approach that is best for that individual. That means that the cost of plastic surgery procedures can vary wildly, often by thousands of dollars.
For example, a facelift can cost anywhere from $7,000 to well over $14,000, and the patient will not know what their exact cost will be for a facelift until after their plastic surgery consultation. An accurate cost estimate can help you make a decision as to whether it is the right time for a facelift or a different plastic surgery procedure.
Learn About Financing Options
After you get an accurate cost estimate, you can then inquire about financing options. Many plastic surgeons offer their patients flexible financing plans, allowing for patients to gradually pay for their procedure instead of having to pay a lump sum all at once. During a plastic surgery consultation, you can learn about the most convenient way for you to pay for your procedure.
Look at Before and After Pictures
If you have a plastic surgery plan in place, you can start looking at before and after pictures. Looking at these pictures allows you to see the quality of work you can expect from your surgeon, while also helping you develop realistic expectations for the results of your procedure.
Before and after pictures can also help provide your plastic surgeon with some direction when it comes to your desired plastic surgery outcome. For example, if you are going to have a nose job, you can point to a few different after photos in which the patient’s nose resembles your desired outcome during your plastic surgery consultation. That way, your surgeon will have a concrete idea of your ideal nose.
Learn What to Expect Before, During, and After Surgery
A key part of any plastic surgery consultation is your surgeon going through the entire surgical process with you. Your surgeon will outline what to expect during every phase of the procedure. That includes:
- Helping you understand how to prepare for the surgery in order to get the best results.
- Going over the exact surgical plan, explaining exactly where incisions will take place and how the operation will help you achieve your desired results
- What the first few days after the surgery will look and feel like for you.
- How long the full recovery process will take, including when you can return to work and when you can begin exercising again.
- How long the results of the surgery will last, and any needed follow-up appointments in the future.
Have Your Pressing Questions Answered
More than anything else, a plastic surgery consultation is a great opportunity to ask your plastic surgeon any and all questions you may have. Undergoing any kind of surgical procedure, even an elective one, can be stressful. Use this opportunity to address anything that is on your mind. Part of building trust with your plastic surgeon is being willing to ask them difficult and personal questions, and your surgeon will hopefully repay that trust by providing you with honest, considerate answers.
Schedule a Plastic Surgery Consultation with Dr. Leo Lapuerta
Dr. Leo Lapuerta is a plastic surgeon with over two decades of experience helping patients in Houston, Pearland, and Katy, Texas, transform and revitalize their appearance. Dr. Lapuerta has developed a reputation as being friendly, relatable, and professional. If you are interested in taking the first step toward a confident, revitalized new life, request a plastic surgery consultation with Dr. Lapuerta today by calling (713) 489-0169.