May 23, 2012 | 2 minute read
Everyone who comes in for a cosmetic surgery consultation clearly knows what it is that bothers them. However, many also have an idea about what is needed to achieve their aims. One of my roles as a consultant plastic surgeon during the consultation is, to a degree, educating the patient about themselves and about plastic surgery as the patient’s idea about what they need may not be the right procedure to get them to where they want to be.
For example, a patient came to see me recently about liposuction to their abdomen. After taking a careful clinical history and performing a thorough examination, I advised them that liposuction was the wrong thing for them. What they needed to correct the thin loose tissue on their abdomen, was in fact a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).
This example illustrates that it is far better to tell your plastic surgeon what it is that concerns you and where you would ideally like to be than what procedure you think you need. It is then the role of the plastic surgeon to advise you on what procedure can get you there. I could give many examples of this nature relating to every part of the body, but I hope this may help you approach your consultation with an open mind and consider your consultation the first step in a journey that will take you to where you want to be.