Aesthetic Surgery - the consultation

Here, surgeon and patient meet for a relaxed but systematic discussion of all aspects of the problem under consideration. A good surgeon will start by reviewing the patient's goals. He will review medical history and lifestyle, conduct a physical examination and assess the patient's suitability for plastic surgery. He may recommend tests before making a definite recommendation. He will aim to educate and inform the patient about the problem and go on to explain the different ways in which surgery could attempt to solve it. He will then recommend what he considers to be the best procedure to carry out, taking everything into account. He will supply literature for separate study.

He will explain what the operation involves; cover the pros and cons and the risks involved; discuss anaesthesia; the clinic where the operation will be carried out; and recovery - how long it will take and how you are likely to feel at each stage. Finally the patient care co-ordinator will cover fees - his, the hospital's and the anaesthetist's.

During the Consultation a mutual understanding will hopefully develop. Your surgeon should invite you to ask all your questions and air your worries. His answers should be frank and clear.

Remember that plastic surgery can achieve a great deal but it is not a perfect science. The ideal candidate for plastic surgery is healthy and self-confident, well-balanced and realistic in her (or his) expectations. In the unfortunate cases where patients are not completely happy after procedures, the problem usually lies not with the success of the operation but with the patient who may have expected too much. Over anxious, highly nervous patients who believe a different nose shape or slimmer thighs will save their marriage or land a better job are unlikely ever to be satisfied by what a surgeon can achieve.

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