The decision to pursue cosmetic surgery is a big one. Some patients play with the idea for years before deciding to seriously consider cosmetic procedures. Others decide more quickly, but they still hesitate to take the first step.
There are two important things to note here:
- The first step is to schedule a consultation.
- The consultation is easier (and more helpful) than you might think.
If you’ve been nervous to schedule an appointment because you’re not sure what to expect, then you’ve come to the right place. Here’s an in-depth look at what happens during a plastic surgery consultation with a board-certified cosmetic surgeon like Dr. DeMercurio.
Discussing Your Goals
Why are you thinking of plastic surgery in the first place? Maybe something about your body has changed and just doesn’t feel like “you” anymore. Or perhaps there’s something about your body that never felt like “you.” There may be a certain area of skin, a scar, or a set of wrinkles that erode your confidence, no matter how many self-affirmations you make each morning.
During your consultation, we won’t just focus on the little issues that bother you. In fact, we’ll spend more time talking about what it would look like if they didn’t bother you! In other words, we’re less interested in “I hate this saggy tummy” and more interested in “I want my midsection to look flatter and more toned.”
Many patients who visit our office aren’t quite sure of their goals, often because they don’t know quite what is possible. So, as a part of your consultation, we’ll help you refine your goals while also making sure they’re realistic and achievable. This might involve:
- Looking at before-and-afters from patients with concerns similar to your own.
- Reviewing photos of people who do have the trait, shape, or feature you desire.
- Showing you various versions of a trait or feature so you can narrow down which ones you like best.
Physical Assessment
Your initial consultation will also include a physical examination. With much care and respect, we’ll examine the areas you’re concerned about, making notes about your skin health, bone structure, and underlying anatomy. For example, if you’re interested in an arm lift, we’ll take a close look at the elasticity of the skin on your upper arms, assess how much subdermal fat you have in the area, and take some basic measurements of the muscle.
Your physical assessment may include blood work, imaging like X-rays, and other non-invasive testing. We like to have a lot of data so we can go into each surgery with a specific, detailed plan.
The physical assessment and discussion of your goals often go hand in hand. We’ll be sure to suggest options that are realistically achievable with your own unique physical characteristics.
Explaining Your Options
In many cases, there will be more than one way to achieve the look you desire. The beauty of working with an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. DeMercurio is that he can discuss the pros and cons of each option and recommend the approach he thinks is best for your circumstances.
For example, your surgeon may determine that either a full face lift or a mini lift will reduce wrinkling across your brow, but note that the mini lift is better since you need to be back to work ASAP. Or, you may learn that a full face lift may deliver longer-lasting results because of your skin elasticity, so long as you can negotiate a few more days of downtime.
Transparency is vital at this stage. If there is an option that is clearly better suited to your needs, we’ll tell you. However, we won’t try to push you towards a certain procedure if there is more than one equally viable path. Ultimately, the choice is yours!
Keep in mind that for some patients, surgery is not necessarily the most effective choice. Sometimes, a minimally invasive or non-invasive procedure might offer the same or similar results with less discomfort and downtime. Here are some of the non-surgical procedures popular with our patients:
- Injectables: BOTOX® and dermal fillers can do wonders for skin texture and are often a suitable alternative to a face lift.
- CO2 Laser: This treatment can smooth out sun-damaged skin like no other.
- Secret RF Microneedling: Radiofrequency waves stimulate healing, easing the appearance of acne scars, fine lines, uneven texture, and more.
Discussing Aftercare and Costs
One of the biggest reasons patients put off plastic surgery is uncertainty about aftercare and recovery. Sometimes they’re concerned that recovery might be too painful. In other cases, they may not know how long they’ll need to take off from work or how long they’ll need a loved one to care for them.
Once we’ve settled on the procedure or procedures that best fit your goals, we’ll discuss aftercare and recovery in more detail. This discussion will include:
- The amount of pain and discomfort you’re likely to experience.
- Safe ways to manage your pain post-surgery.
- How long we suggest staying home from work.
- How soon after surgery you’ll be able to resume basic tasks like cooking, cleaning, and driving.
- Whether you need to have someone stay with you post-surgery, and for how long.
- How soon you can expect to be “fully recovered”
Of course, cost is a factor to consider, too. If there are multiple appropriate procedures, we can give you cost estimates for each of them, which you can factor in when making your choice. We can also discuss financing options, any follow-up care that’s included, and whether your insurance may cover part of your procedure.
Although rare, some health insurance plans do have cosmetic surgery riders. Also, if your concern affects your health in any way, there is a chance your insurance may offer coverage. We see this sometimes with women who schedule breast reductions to alleviate back pain.
Answering Questions
We’ll ask you a lot of questions during your consultation. It’s necessary for us to get to know you, but we don’t want you to feel like you’re in the hot seat! Rest assured that you’ll have plenty of time to ask us questions, too. Nothing is off-limits. And while this may be easier said than done, there is no need to be embarrassed. Our job is to help you feel comfortable and confident in your body. We’ll never judge you for your body or for your questions.
We suggest making a list of questions to bring to your appointment. This way, you’re less likely to forget something important if you end up feeling a little nervous or overwhelmed. You might also think of more specific questions to ask as we discuss specific goals and procedures, and that’s fine, too.
Some of the more common questions we get from prospective patients include:
- How many times have you done this surgery?
- How long will the surgery take?
- Will I be asleep during the procedure?
- What will the scars look like?
- How much time should I take off from work?
- How long will the results last?
The answers to most of these questions vary based on the procedure. However, you can read more about Dr. DeMercurio’s experience and the specific procedures we offer on our website. Having this background knowledge can help you feel more informed and confident during the plastic surgery consultation itself.
Plastic surgery is not just for celebrities, and today’s procedures provide results that are natural and empowering. Whether you’re considering a breast augmentation, tummy tuck, arm lift, or even a minimally invasive touch-up, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with the Florida Center for Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery. Our kind and caring practitioners will be happy to answer all of your questions and recommend the approach that’s right for you.