How To Prepare for Plastic Surgery

Have you had plastic surgery on the brain? You’re definitely not alone! In 2018, the number of people in the US who have undergone a plastic surgery procedure increased to 18 million, which is a quarter of a million more than in 2017. The numbers are rising and don’t show any sign of slowing down. So how do you know where to start? Here is a checklist of some of the most important things to keep in mind BEFORE deciding to undergo a cosmetic procedure.

• Do your research! Make sure you understand what the procedure entails and make sure you have clearly established goals
• Are you going for a natural look or are you going for a Kardashian butt? Would you rather have silicone implants vs saline implants?
• Write down any questions you may have and bring them into your consultation. It is also helpful to find “wish pics.”
  • Pro Tip: When finding wish pics, be sure to find UNEDITED photos of people who share a similar frame as you. We can work with your body frame, but we can’t work miracles.
• Find a Board Certified plastic surgeon and schedule a consultation.
• Pro Tip: Schedule more than one at different practices, if necessary. You should feel comfortable and welcomed by the plastic surgeon and their staff.
• Check your health! Are you healthy enough for an elective procedure? We may request a clearance from your physician or require blood work or a mammogram, if applicable.
  • Always disclose all of your medical information as thoroughly and honestly as possible. This is a very important step.
• Price Check. Every plastic surgeon will charge a different price for their procedures, sometimes based on experience, difficulty of procedure, or length of time in the operating room. Be sure to get a clear price range and make sure this is something you can afford.
  • Since plastic surgery is largely an elective procedure, most practices don’t accept insurance. Bummer, I know. At our practice, we accept cash, check, all major credit cards, and  Care Credit and Alphaeon Credit.  Some patients even tap into the equity of their homes to get loans that have low interest that is tax deductble.
  • We highly highly highly discourage patients from finding bargain prices in some sketchy office out of the country. It won’t be worth it. We promise. Check out this story here about a bargain surgery in Mexico gone wrong.
• Are you a smoker? Whether you smoke cigarettes or smoke marijuana (we are in Colorado…) we will require you to stop smoking six weeks before surgery.
  • We WILL test you and may even need to reschedule or cancel  your surgery if you test positive leading up to your surgery. This may be challenging and annoying, but we serious about setting patients up to achieve the best results possible.  Smoking can cause poor blood flow with can inhibit healing and result in major complications.
• Don’t underestimate recovery time. Sometimes recovery is a breeze. Sometimes recovery is tough.
  • First and foremost, you will need a caregiver for the first 24 hours after surgery. This caregiver will need to pick you up after surgery and drive you home. No joy riding on pain pills!
  • Keep in mind that (depending on the procedure) you wont be able to lift more than 20lbs for a couple weeks. Do you have someone to help with your kids? Does your job allow you to work from home or have you built up enough of those cherished vacation/personal days? You will have low energy and low mobility for a couple days to weeks. Embrace it and listen to your body.
  • It is hard to give a real timeline because everyone recovers differently, so be prepared for anything.
• Reality Check! Are your expectations realistic? All procedures have limitations. We cannot promise you perfect results.
  •  It is important to know that revisions may be necessary no matter how many precautions we take.

If you made it through this whole list, congrats! That means you’re serious about partnering with your surgeon of choice on your road to becoming your personal best.  Now is also good time to tell you that we also have all of this information in video form right here on our YouTube channel.

Our team is here to partner with you on your plastic surgery journey. Are you ready to move forward and schedule a consultation? Welcome to the dark side. * Evil laugh * Just kidding. Plastic surgery is a big deal! Let us know what other questions or concerns you have in the comments below!

Next week we will cover everything you need to know about your plastic surgery recovery journey.

Until next time,