Before your consultation: 10 questions to ask your plastic surgeon
Who will operate, where, with which technique, what are the risks and how long is recovery? The questions you should leave your consultation with answers to.
A first consultation is a meeting in which you assess the surgeon as much as the surgeon assesses you. Half the questions people want to ask are forgotten in the excitement, so I suggest my patients write them down. Whatever procedure you are considering, these ten are the questions you should leave the consultation with answers to.
The surgeon and the place
- Who will perform my operation? Ask whether the doctor you see at the consultation is the one who operates. Ask who does the check-ups, too.
- What is your specialty, and how often do you perform this operation? Ask whether they are a specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery and about their experience with this procedure.
- Where will the operation take place? Ask about the hospital’s theatre facilities and who will give the anaesthetic.
Method and expectations
- What exactly will be done in my case? Ask what will change, not just the name of the procedure. Talking over your photographs is often the clearest way.
- Why this technique? Ask about the alternatives and why this one is recommended.
- What is a realistic result? You want to hear plainly whether your expectations can be met. “That is not possible” is a valuable answer too.
Risks and recovery
- What are the risks of this operation, and which are more likely in my case? Every surgical procedure carries risks. Ask about your own situation, not the general list.
- What is the recovery timeline? Ask in writing when you can return to work, exercise and social life.
- How do I reach you after surgery? Find out who you contact during recovery, and on which line.
- What happens if a correction is needed? Discuss in advance how a revision would work.
After the consultation
I do not set a surgery date on the day of the consultation; I want you to read the written plan at home and decide without rushing. When you decide, put the answers to these questions side by side. Do not hesitate to write down questions that come to you later.
The procedure pages on our site have question lists for each procedure. You can add the questions you tick to your consultation request or print them and bring them along.
