Your Cosmetic Surgery Consultation
You may have been thinking about plastic surgery for some time now. You have probably done research online or talked to friends that have had a cosmetic procedure. So, what is the next step? A consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon and his or her team is the first step towards moving forward with your cosmetic procedure. Patients who inquire by phone or email commonly ask, “What can I expect during my consultation at Hubbard Plastic Surgery?” The answer is, A LOT!
The Consultation Process
The length of your consultation will depend on your procedure(s) of interest. Dr. Hubbard and our staff are extremely thorough and detail-oriented. Typically, you can expect to be with us for 1-2 hours. During your consultation, you will be guided through the details of your procedure of interest, including benefits, risks, recovery, and expectations. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, learn more about your surgeon’s background, and hear personalized recommendations for treatment.
1. About a week before your appointment, we will create a secure patient portal for you so that you may complete your registration paperwork prior to arrival, which will save you time at check-in. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by our practice concierges. They will ask for a photo ID and may have some additional forms specific to your appointment.
2. You will then be escorted to a consultation room by a member of our clinical staff to begin your appointment. In most cases, they will take photos that will assist Dr. Hubbard in your evaluation. If you are interested in breast augmentation, we will take a 3D image of your breasts and allow you to try on sizers which you will find beneficial in choosing your implant size. And yes, you get to decide the type of implant, saline or gel. Dr. Hubbard will offer his guidance based on years of experience in breast surgery but ultimately, it is your decision.
3. Your time with your surgeon should be a learning experience; it is an opportunity for you to explore any questions and concerns you may have about your procedure, expectations, and recovery. You will find that Dr. Hubbard is very thorough and spends ample time with each patient to ensure all their concerns are addressed.
4. The last person you will meet with on your consultation day is the patient coordinator; she is the liaison between you and the practice. She will provide you with a detailed quote for the procedure(s) that you and Dr. Hubbard discussed. She can also go over financing options with you if this is of interest to you. Read more about paying for cosmetic surgery in our blog “What are your options for financing plastic surgery?”
5. If you are ready to schedule surgery during your consultation, that is great! We can look at available days that may fit your schedule. If you need more time to process the information or discuss it with family or friends, you can call the patient coordinator to schedule or discuss any questions that may have come up once you left our office.
6. We realize that our consultation appointments are very thorough. There is a lot of information to process and sometimes patients are given treatment options as well. Therefore, we welcome you to contact us for any clarification you may need. Sometimes one consultation is not enough to feel 100% ready to move forward. If you would like to speak with Dr. Hubbard or our staff again, we are happy to arrange a time to meet your needs. You can also be comfortable knowing that you will have a very detailed pre-operative appointment and meet with Dr. Hubbard again 2-3 weeks before your scheduled surgery. We take great pride in educating our patients and preparing them for the best possible experience!