Choosing the right plastic surgeon begins with understanding what happens during your initial consultation. This important first step sets the foundation for your entire surgical journey, helping you feel confident and well-informed about your decision.
Your consultation is much more than a simple appointment—it’s a collaborative conversation where you’ll explore your goals, learn about your options, and determine if plastic surgery is right for you. We understand that this process can feel overwhelming, which is why we’re here to guide you through exactly what to expect.
Understanding the Purpose of Your Consultation
Your cosmetic consultation serves two very important purposes: you have the opportunity to both vet a surgeon and also learn more about your procedures of interest, what other options are available, and what can be done to help you achieve your goals.
A consultation is equal parts interview, learning experience, and time to see the possibilities of what cosmetic surgery can achieve for you. During this time, you’ll have the chance to ask questions, discuss your concerns, and get a clear understanding of what your chosen procedure involves.
The consultation process helps ensure that both you and your surgeon are aligned on your goals and expectations. This collaborative approach reduces the likelihood of disappointment later and helps create a treatment plan that truly reflects your vision for your results.
How Long Will Your Consultation Take?
Expect each consultation to last 1 to 2 hours. This extended timeframe allows for a thorough discussion of your goals, medical history, and treatment options. It’s important that both you and your surgeon have enough time to get to know each other and discuss your options—learning more about your surgeon’s experience, background, and aesthetic vision is something that shouldn’t be rushed.
During this time, you’ll cover many important topics, including your desired outcomes, recovery expectations, timeline considerations, and financial planning. The comprehensive nature of this appointment ensures you have all the information needed to make an informed decision about your care.
What to Expect During Your Visit
Check-In and Paperwork
First, you’ll check in with the front desk. If you received paperwork in the mail ahead of time, they will collect it now, or you may spend a few minutes filling out forms. If the practice uses electronic medical records, you may be able to complete forms via a patient portal before your appointment time.
When completing this form, be completely honest and thorough, as the information you provide helps to prevent complications during your care. When asked about medications, be sure to include any vitamin or herbal preparations, as these can affect your blood pressure and clotting ability.
Meeting with Your Care Team
When you are called back to begin your appointment, you will first meet with a medical assistant (or a nurse in some practices), who will review your medical history with you and help you get settled.
Your patient coordinator is your liaison between you and the practice. She makes sure your questions are addressed quickly as you consider your options before surgery as well as throughout your surgery and recovery process.
The Physical Examination
You’ll remain in your own clothes for most of the consultation. If your area of concern is on the breasts or body, the surgeon will leave the room while you change into a robe and return to examine the area following your initial discussion. Your nurse will remain in the room during an examination.
Examinations may involve measurements, but you won’t have to complete any bloodwork. This physical assessment helps your surgeon understand your anatomy and develop the most appropriate treatment plan for your unique needs.
Key Topics Your Surgeon Will Discuss
Your Goals and Expectations
Every procedure starts with a comprehensive consultation between you and your plastic surgeon. This appointment has several objectives, and one of them is discussing your goals and expectations. You’ll tell them the plastic surgery you’re considering and what you hope to gain from it. The surgeon then explains the procedure, its benefits, risks, realistic outcomes, and costs.
Your surgeon will help you understand what’s achievable with your chosen procedure and may suggest alternative approaches that could better meet your goals. This honest discussion ensures your expectations align with realistic outcomes.
Medical History and Candidacy
They also conduct a health assessment and evaluate your medical history to verify that you’re a suitable candidate for the procedure. It’s crucial that your surgeon is aware of anything that may compromise the safety of surgery or put you at risk.
Your surgeon will review any medical conditions, previous surgeries, medications, and lifestyle factors that could affect your procedure or recovery. This thorough evaluation helps ensure your safety and optimize your results.
Recovery and Timeline Expectations
Your surgeon will talk to you about your personal scheduling needs and suggest multiple surgery dates for you to choose from. You shouldn’t feel like you have to schedule your procedure during your consultation, but you should understand your options.
Understanding the recovery process is crucial for planning your procedure. Your surgeon will explain what to expect during each phase of healing, when you can return to work and normal activities, and what support you’ll need during recovery.
How to Prepare for Your Consultation
Reflect on Your Goals
Stand in front of a mirror in a well-lit room and truly look at yourself for 10-15 minutes. What do you see that you like? What do you see that you do not like? What would you change? Now, write it down and bring it with you to your initial consultation so that you can get firm, immediate feedback from your surgeon.
Bring Reference Photos
There is also the adage, a picture is worth a thousand words. Scour the internet for the ideal look, whether it be lips, waists, breast size or another attribute. Bring these pictures with you to help express what you want to your surgeon.
Visual references help facilitate clearer communication about your aesthetic goals and ensure you and your surgeon are on the same page about your desired outcome.
Prepare Your Questions
I recommend making a list of questions to bring with you during your consultation, that way you can make sure to get all the information you need. We suggest writing a list of questions to take with you to your consultation to ensure you cover everything.
Important Questions to Ask
When meeting with a plastic surgeon, consider asking these essential questions:
- Are you board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery?
- How many times have you performed this specific procedure?
- What are the potential risks and complications?
- What should I expect during recovery?
- Can I see before-and-after photos of similar cases?
- What are the total costs, including facility and anesthesia fees?
You should never feel like your questions are burdensome or that you are wasting your surgeon’s time. A qualified surgeon will welcome your questions and provide thorough, honest answers.
Understanding Consultation Fees and Next Steps
The price of your consultation will depend on the surgeon and practice you are meeting with. Many plastic surgeons offer free consultations, but you should ask about any potential fees when you call to schedule your appointment. Some surgeons feel they should be compensated for time spent with patients and will request a consultation fee.
If there is a consultation fee, ask whether it will be applied toward your surgical costs if you decide to proceed with treatment.
After Your Consultation
If you are ready to schedule surgery by the end of your consultation, that’s great. But don’t feel obligated to make a decision immediately—if you aren’t sure, go home and think about what you want. Sometimes one consultation isn’t enough to feel 100% ready to move forward.
The decision for surgery is an important one. Explore and evaluate the opinions of family and trusted friends. However, the final decision should be yours.
What Makes a Great Consultation Experience
Keep an Open Mind
Remember to keep an open mind. When chosen correctly, your plastic surgeon is the expert. You might think you need one procedure when in fact a completely different procedure will give you better results for what you want.
Trust in your surgeon’s expertise and remain flexible about the specific approach to achieving your goals. An experienced surgeon may suggest alternatives you hadn’t considered that could provide superior results.
Focus on Safety and Qualifications
Choose a board-certified plastic surgeon and be confident you are in the care of a highly trained surgeon you can trust. Board certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery ensures your surgeon has completed rigorous training and meets the highest standards in the field.
Serving St. Charles and Surrounding Communities
As you search for the right plastic surgeon, remember that the consultation is your opportunity to evaluate both the surgeon and the practice.
We’re proud to serve patients from St. Charles, Naperville, Hinsdale, Aurora, Oak Brook, and throughout the Chicago suburbs and metropolitan areas.
Your consultation should leave you feeling informed, comfortable, and confident about your potential surgical journey. The right surgeon will take time to understand your unique goals and provide honest guidance about the best approach to achieve them.
FAQ
How much does a plastic surgery consultation cost?
The price of your consultation will depend on the surgeon and practice you are meeting with. Many plastic surgeons offer free consultations, but you should ask about any potential fees when you call to schedule your appointment. Some practices charge consultation fees that may be applied toward your surgical costs if you proceed with treatment. Always clarify the fee structure when scheduling your appointment.
Should I consult with multiple surgeons before deciding?
Prior to scheduling surgery, we recommend consulting with multiple doctors to ensure that you are completely comfortable and confident with your final decision. Consulting with several board-certified plastic surgeons allows you to compare approaches, get different perspectives on your case, and find the surgeon whose expertise and communication style best match your needs.
What if I’m not ready to schedule surgery after my consultation?
Don’t feel obligated to make a decision immediately—if you aren’t sure, go home and think about what you want. Sometimes one consultation isn’t enough to feel 100% ready to move forward. New questions may arise as everything you discussed at the consult sinks in. If so, call and ask for a second consultation. Taking time to consider your options is completely normal and shows you’re making a thoughtful decision about your care.
Your consultation with Dr. Ghaderi is designed to be informative, comfortable, and pressure-free. We believe that educated patients make the best decisions for their unique needs, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
Ready to learn more about your options? Contact us today to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward achieving your aesthetic goals with confidence.
