Facial rejuvenation procedures can result in tremendous benefits for patients, but making the decision to start your journey toward surgery can be an intimidating process filled with lots of unknowns, variables, and unwarranted fears. The facelift consultation is the first step of the surgery process for a reason: it can set you up for success, allay those fears, and help you understand exactly what to expect. If you’re nervous about taking this first step, plan ahead for your consultation like any other important meeting. Follow these tips for a successful first one-on-one with your future plastic surgeon.
Be Ready to Be Honest
Any reputable plastic surgeon will need to know a few things about you before he or she will feel comfortable performing any surgery at all. Your previous medical history, medications, and other information can all serve as risk factors for your procedure, especially if they are left unknown to your doctor. When you attend your consultation, be prepared to be totally and completely honest. It’s the only way to ensure the safest and most successful facelift procedure possible.
Have Your Information Ready
When it comes to the questions you’ll be asked as a prospective patient, you might have to come prepared to your meeting in order to answer them all. In the days and weeks leading up to your appointment, make a list of your medical information and dig out any files you were asked to bring. Your plastic surgeon will ask questions about:
- Your medical history
- Your current and previous medications
- Your known drug allergies
- Your past medical diagnoses and treatments
- Any vitamins and herbal supplements you’re taking
- Your usage of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
- Your previous surgeries, even minor ones
By gathering this information, your plastic surgeon is able to determine your current state of health and your risk factors for facelift surgery. Based on this information, he can decide whether you are physically eligible for surgery or if you may have potential problems with anesthesia, the healing process, and other factors. Still, you shouldn’t be afraid to be honest. Remember that your doctor’s consideration of your overall state of health is to keep you safe; lying or omitting information can be life-threatening
Have an Open Mind About Your Results
All would-be patients should demonstrate a realistic expectation for their facelift results, meaning they should understand how much change is really possible through surgery. During your consultation, it is essential that you keep an open mind about what your surgeon recommends as your treatment and what he or she expects your results will be. Feel free to share your vision for your facelift and what specific concerns you have, if any. By working together and keeping an open mind, you can design the right surgical approach to your unique anti-aging needs. You may be shown before and after photos of other patients with similar facial structures to give you a visual for your expected results.
Speak Up and Ask the Doctor
The consultation is meant to be a one-on-one conversation between surgeon and patient, so it is okay to prepare questions beforehand and ask them as needed. You may find that most of your questions are answered by the doctor as he explains the process and his surgical technique. Whatever questions aren’t answered, you’ll have the chance to ask. These may include questions you have about your doctor’s experience and qualifications, questions about how and where the procedure is performed, questions about your recovery process, and more. Take the opportunity to ask about any fears you have so you can get the real answers, once and for all. Doing so can only enhance the journey for you as a patient, taking away unneeded anxieties. Don’t be afraid to ask your questions; you’ll be very glad you did when your facelift consultation comes to an end.
Gear Up for Your Procedure
When you leave your consultation, you’ll likely be able to schedule the actual facelift procedure. Your plastic surgeon will help you to determine an appropriate time when you can have the surgery and get the required downtime needed for a full recovery. You’ll also be given lots of information about staying healthy before your procedure, preparing for your recovery at home, and other tips to help the surgery to go as smoothly as possible. Follow these instructions to the letter to guarantee your best facelift results with the minimum potential risks.
Book Your Facelift Consultation Now
Begin your journey to facial rejuvenation by scheduling your facelift consultation with a highly credentialed surgeon. Contact the Aesthetic Surgery Center to book an appointment with Dr. Anurag Agarwal or Dr. Richard Maloney, our double board certified facial plastic surgeons. They have been featured on many of the major news networks, including ABC, NBC, and FOX, as recognized experts on various facial plastic surgery topics.
Dr. Agarwal and Dr. Maloney believe that educating and communicating with their patients is the key to helping them achieve the natural-looking results they want in a healthy way. Book your appointment at the Aesthetic Surgery Center, located at 1175 Creekside Parkway #100 in Naples, FL, by calling (239) 594-9100.