Your consultation is the time for you to express your desires, to learn what plastic surgery can do for you, and to determine how we can best help you achieve your desires. We encourage you to come to your consultation with a list of questions to ask your doctor. Some of the most common questions we hear are:
- Are you specifically trained in the field of plastic surgery?
- Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
- How many times have you performed this procedure?
- What will be expected of me to get the best results?
- Where will the surgery be done?
- What type of anesthesia will be used during the procedure?
- What is the normal recovery rate for this procedure?
Your consultation begins in our comfortable patient lounge. You will be greeted by our friendly and knowledgeable patient coordinator. She will spend some time getting to know you before your consultation with the doctor and nurse begins.
You will be asked to change into a robe so the doctor can examine you, if you are seeing us about an issue regarding your body, such as liposuction, tummy tuck, breast augmentation, breast lift, buttock augmentation, body contouring after massive weight loss, thigh lift, or arm lift. If you are seeing us about procedures on your face, such as face-lift, eyes, rhinoplasty, NeoGraft, Botox®, Juvederm®, or other nonsurgical facial rejuvenation, there is no need to change your clothes.
During your examination, you will be seen by either Dr. Thornton or Dr. Elliott, along with one of our very knowledgeable, caring, and friendly nurses. We do not use nonphysician “consultants,” as in many plastic surgery practices. We believe you should have your questions answered directly by the plastic surgeon who will be doing your surgery so that no confusion exists in translation between staff members.
During your examination, your doctor will discuss your medical history with you, and your goals and desires for surgery. We will also discuss all the phases of surgery, including before the procedure, the details of the surgery itself, and the things you are responsible for doing during after care and recovery. We will answer all of your questions in detail. However, with the extent of information you will receive during the consultation, we expect that questions may arise after you have left the office. We encourage you to call back and ask one of our nurses any lingering or new questions that you have.
We ask that you be prepared for your consultation to be about an hour. We find that by being this thorough during your consultation, you are able to make a well-informed decision on how best to meet your personal goals and desires for surgery. After your consultation with the doctor, you will be given a quote for the procedures that you and your doctor discussed.
Why We Charge a Consultation Fee
Our consultation fee is $100 (applicable toward your surgical procedure). Here is why we charge a consultation fee and why a “free consultation” is not necessarily in your best interest.
Unfortunately, too often, a “free consultation” for cosmetic surgery turns into nothing but a high-pressure sales pitch. Rather, a professional consultation should be a learning experience, an educational opportunity for you, and not a “sales closing.” It should function solely for your benefit and to your advantage.
After all, not everyone should have cosmetic surgery. The purpose of the consultation is to determine if it is the right thing for you to do. Through the process of listening to you, understanding your desires, and conducting an examination, an appropriate recommendation will be made. That recommendation might be that one of our nonsurgical procedures will best help you achieve your goals.
We look forward to meeting you.