August 22, 2013 | 1 minute read
What is extraordinary about the 6-week consultation?
It is that virtually every patient has “forgotten” their old body and how it was pre-surgery. Whether it is a facelift, a breast operation or a tummy tuck, it never ceases to amaze me how quick the human brain is to adopt the new body image as “having always been there”. I routinely take early post-operative pictures at the 6-week check-up and often compare before and afters with the patient. Virtually every time, there are audible gasps when they appreciate the change they have undergone. Comments like “I remember it was bad, but not that bad!” and “did I really look like that?!” are commonplace.
It is a fundamentally important part of the plastic surgery journey to appreciate the changes surgery has made, as it reinforces the positive psychological impact of the process. After all, cosmetic plastic surgery is usually undertaken to boost self-confidence, feel better about one-self and remove self-consciousness where possible – therefore the extra important boost that the 6-week “reminder” gives is invaluable.