Are you planning to have cosmetic surgery? As everybody knows, finding a plastic surgeon who is skilled and experienced in the procedure you intend to have is the first step. That is why the consultation or the one-to-one with the cosmetic surgeon is considered a crucial phase of the cosmetic surgery experience.
The consult is when you can determine if you are in the right hands – a surgeon that can provide a safe procedure and optimal outcomes. Before your consultation, you should have a set of questions ready to help with your research. Things that you should discuss are the surgeon’s qualifications, experience in performing the procedure (frequency), type of anesthesia that will be used and whether it will be administered by a qualified and certified anesthetist, recovery time, and cost of the procedure.
Here is a brief overview of what to expect at your initial consultation at a professional plastic surgery practice.
- The surgeon will engage you right from the start through proper communication. He will tell you all you want to know about his credentials and the details about his skills and experience in the specific procedure, and how frequently he performs it.
- Patient evaluation is an important step in the consultation. The surgeon will review your medical history, conduct a detailed physical exam, and discuss your cosmetic enhancement goals. This will determine your candidature for the treatment.
- Once you are cleared for the procedure, the surgeon will inform you about the options that are available to achieve your goals. The expert will guide you in choosing the best procedure to meet your objectives.
- The use of visuals is an important aspect of the consultation. This improves the experience for both the patient and the surgeon. You can ask to see before and after photographs of previous patients. This is a good way of assessing the surgeon’s skills, though results will vary according to individual conditions. The art of conveying information to the cosmetic patient during a consultation has been greatly improved with 3D imaging as the technology allows patients to visualize their results. Seeing what you would look like after the treatment will help you take an informed decision.
- The surgeon will discuss costs of the procedure. Established plastic surgery practices offer financing options to help patients pay for their elective surgery.
Professional surgical practices would have a dedicated Patient Care Manager with whom you can consult to share your concerns and get answers to your queries. These professionals are trained to make patients feel at ease and comfortable right from the moment they walk into the practice.
In an established NYC plastic surgery practice, you can expect to benefit from a virtual consultation. This is especially useful for those who live outside the locality. This educational and informative consultation with a non-physician staff member can be conducted from the comfort of your home or office. You can avoid the hassles of traveling to the practice to get information about the treatment you are interested in and other matters. This online facility also allows you to provide preliminary information about your medical history and medical condition so that the surgeon can review it before your in-person consultation.