Plastic surgery is safer and more reasonably priced now than at any other time in history. Even so, as with any other medical procedure, you should consider it carefully to make sure it’s the right choice for you. To help you along the way, we’ve put together a checklist of the 10 things you need to take care of before your plastic surgery procedure. From pre-consultation to just before the procedure, address these items to help your experience go a smoothly as possible.
Before you speak with a specialist:
- Ideally, you’ve tried other methods to achieve the results you want, such as reasonable diet and exercise.
- You should be in good general health, to ensure your body can adequately recover from the plastic surgery procedure. Smoking can slow down recovery, so if you’re a smoker, consider quitting at least while you recover.
During the consultation:
- Come prepared with a concrete idea of what results you expect to get out of the procedure.
- Your board-certified plastic surgeon will be able tell you whether your expectations are realistic.
- He or she will go over your medical history, your current state of health, and any medications you’re currently taking.
- The plastic surgeon will also possibly be able to suggest different methods for doing the procedure, each with different success rates, tradeoffs, and costs.
- After the consultation, a follow-up appointment should be made, which will give you some time to consider your options and think about other questions you might have for your doctor.
After the consultation:
- You’ll want to make sure you keep up with your health regimen to ensure you’re in good shape to handle the surgery.
- Follow your doctor’s pre-procedure instructions exactly, to avoid any complications.
- Enlist the help of a family member—even outpatient procedures require someone to drive you to and from the appointment to ensure your safety.
Following these instructions will help make your plastic surgery experience go as smoothly as possible, and your results match your expectations.
Remember, it’s perfectly normal to have many questions about plastic surgery, and your doctor should be willing to address all of them to ensure that it is the right solution for your needs.
Call or email St. Charles Plastic Surgery today to set up a consultation and get started!
