The Importance of Your Rhinoplasty Consultation

We all know for a fact that when you seek out a surgical cosmetic procedure, like a rhinoplasty, you just do not simply go in the operating room to have your nose reshaped done. It is a long and thorough process that begins inside the consultation room. It cannot be over emphasized how important it is that you give your full attention during your discussion with the doctor. The consultation, after all, is the most important meeting that you will have with your surgeon.

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In fact for certain cases, it can even involve multiple consultations with the doctor before the actual procedure will be carried out. Just with any other surgical procedure, rhinoplasty carries potential health risks and can have an effect on your self-esteem. That is why a medical consultation with your surgeon should never be underestimated as simply “just” a part of the process you are obligated to go through.

Complete Medical History

One of the basic things that will be covered during your consultation is for your surgeon to take a look at your medical history. This will help your surgeon assess whether you are a suitable candidate for a nose job. If you are in poor health condition, prone to poor wound healing and have immune system disorders, it is always best to be honest about these during your consultation.

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Your surgeon needs to get accurate and detailed information about your medical history. And there is no better way to do this than to openly and candidly discuss these with your doctor. Some may recommend additional treatments to boost your immune system before any procedure will be done, or the procedure will be disregarded totally and an alternative treatment may be suggested. It is important to remember that getting a cosmetic surgery is not a joke, risks will be minimized drastically if you are open about any existing conditions that you initially have.

Realistic Expectations

Having a realistic expectation of the outcome is crucial in determining the success of your procedure, as well as helps guarantee that you will be happy with the result.  The consultation session allows you to discuss this with your doctor, who will be able to determine whether your goals are realistic and discuss with you the approaches on how best to achieve them.

You may even bring with you photographs of individuals who you think have good noses as reference to help you decide what you want. However, it is best to realize that cosmetic surgeries are performed to enhance your natural features. It is not done to duplicate another person’s features. Also you have to understand that while the outcome of your procedure may result to a dramatic impact in your life, it is not a solution to your life’s problems. That is why it is important that you consult a specialist that understands this valuable premise that cosmetic procedure like a rhinoplasty is not about achieving perfection. But rather, it is about attaining balance in consonance with your overall features to give your esteem a much needed boost.

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During your consultation, ask your doctor for a digital imaging of your expected outcome and the full range of possible results based on your expectations and the surgeon’s recommendation. While the imaging may not exactly match the results, it will be helpful to provide you with an idea how you will look like after you have completely healed from the procedure.

Procedure Overview and Personalized Treatment

A detailed discussion of your personalized treatment will also be discussed during your consultation. No two procedures are the same. Each individual’s treatment is as unique as your own fingerprint, or in this case your nose. The technique and approach may be the same, but the manner in which the procedure will be performed will vary from person to person.

Your doctor will provide you with a general overview on how the procedure will be performed, as well as discuss with you the preoperative preparation and postoperative care instructions. This is the time that you should be all ears and listen intently as the doctor discuss these things with you. The consultation should cover areas from the surgery preparation, the details of your procedure (anesthesia, approach, type of nose implant and length of procedure among many others) and the postoperative recovery.

Potential Risks

We have mentioned earlier that no matter how experienced the surgeon is in performing a procedure, the possibility of risks and complications cannot be totally avoided. That is why the consultation session is also the best time for your doctor to discuss this issue with you. A credible doctor will discuss this openly with you to let you in on the dangers of the procedure, which can include healing problems if postoperative care is not strictly followed.

Planning the Operation

After taking a detailed look into your medical history and your personalized treatment, a schedule plan of your operation will also be discussed during your consultation. Take it as if you are planning a very special occasion. More often than not, patients fail to realize this aspect in a surgical procedure. So during your consultation, inform your doctor of any scheduled trips or business meetings so that it can be properly considered and integrated into your surgery schedule. Remember, a rhinoplasty operation does not just involve the surgery day itself, it will continue on until you have completely healed, which can take several months.

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Ask Questions

You should also take note that the consultation is not just about the doctor talking all throughout the session. Never hesitate to ask questions or voice out your concerns about your treatment. If there are terms that you are unfamiliar about or have trouble understanding, ask your doctor to clarify it for you in simple terms that will make it easier for you to understand.

It is best that before you go in the doctor’s clinic for a consultation that you do your own advanced research. Read up on rhinoplastyFAQs to help you to understand what your doctor will be talking about. You can even list down possible questions based on your research and ask them during your consultation. Here are a few basic questions you may need to ask your doctor during consultation.

• How experienced are you with performing rhinoplasty?
• Are you a board-certified cosmetic surgeon? Are you a member of Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery?
• What is your success rate?
• What can I expect from the procedure?
• What approach is best for my case, closed or open approach?
• What type of implants will be used? What are the differences between Silicone, GoreTex and nasal grafts?
• What are the risks of the procedure?
• How much will the procedure cost me?
• What does your quote include and exclude?
• Do you have financing options?
• Do you provide aftercare services? If so, for how long?

Also, this is the best time for you to ask for before and after photos of past patients. You can even ask your doctor of any testimonials or case studies of procedures he has done in the past for you to read. Never hesitate to ask for these information, a trustworthy surgeon will never hesitate to provide these to you.

Decision-making and Consent

Making that ultimate decision to proceed with your rhinoplasty can be effectively carried out with the advice of your doctor, which can happen in the consultation room. From there, you can give an informed consent to your surgeon that you are ready to proceed with the procedure. Remember though that you are not required to make a decision and give your consent immediately after a consultation. A good surgeon will give you enough time to process the information and really think whether you will push through with your rhinoplasty or not. Raise your redflag when a doctor coerces you to make a hasty decision immediately after a consultation.

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If you have further clarifications, you can always seek out a second consultation to discuss any questions that you have in mind.

At Advance Beauty Cosmetic Surgery, Dr. Ahnsup Andrew Kim gives high importance in the consultation process of a rhinoplasty procedure. Dr. Kim is thorough in making sure that are all areas are covered and provide you with all the information that you will need. Also, he solicits questions and clarifications from his patients to ensure that they will be able to make an informed decision.

To book your free consultation with Dr. Kim, visit our clinics at Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney or call us now to schedule!