Discover why an in-person cosmetic surgery consultation is essential for personalized treatments. Learn the benefits over virtual consultations and what to expect during your visit.
The Rise of Virtual Cosmetic Surgery Consultations
The COVID-19 pandemic popularized telemedicine and meetings through video conferencing apps like facetime, skype and zoom. Many cosmetic surgery offices began to offer virtual consultations to provide social distancing for their patients. While telehealth is great for many healthcare appointments, is it really ideal for cosmetic surgery consultations and plastic surgery evaluations? Virtual visits may work for some of your follow up appointments, but the initial cosmetic surgery consultation is best done in the office.
Cosmetic surgery is an elective treatment. The personal relationship that you build with your surgeon could last for many years. If you are seriously considering a cosmetic procedure (liposuction, fat transfer, face lift, tummy tuck, breast augmentation, mommy makeover or laser treatments), it is in your best interest to start that relationship with a face-to-face consultation. Read on to find out why!
What Makes In-Person Consultations Essential for Cosmetic Treatments?
1. Is this the best treatment for your needs and goals?
Patients see information on social media about the benefits of this procedure or that treatment and call asking for that treatment. Unfortunately (actually, fortunately!), cosmetic surgery isn’t a “one size fits all” solution. Each patient will have different needs, different concerns and different current physical challenges. Your cosmetic surgery plan should be tailored to your aesthetic goals and medical history. Depending on your needs, the “perfect” treatment for the Tik Tok influencer may not be the perfect treatment for you.
2. What is the current condition of your skin?
It is impossible to assess your skin type, current damage and laxity/looseness through photos or videos. There is a magic to being able to feel the tone and texture of your skin. This helps your plastic surgeon determine which treatment would be best to get the results you desire. Even when you’re considering botox or fillers, the inability to see how movement affects skin and wrinkles can make online consultations less than ideal. Photo filters can make your selfies look amazing, but they hide many of the reasons that you want to come in for treatment in the first place. Clothing (even underwear) can hide a lot of skin laxity. Sending naked photos can be uncomfortable for patients and I don’t generally recommend sending naked photos digitally. (I agree with your mom on this one!)
3. What type of fat do you have?
Differentiating between visceral and subcutaneous fat can be very difficult without being able to feel your tummy. Visceral fat can ONLY be treated with diet and exercise. If you have mostly visceral fat, you may not be a good candidate for cosmetic surgery procedures. What if you only do a virtual consultation but you have mostly visceral fat? A good cosmetic surgeon will tell you that. Some may not.
4. Who is the surgeon?
Every clinic has an “about us” page with information about the doctor’s credentials and a pretty picture of them. A surgeon’s skill, training and experience are very important, but they’re not the only considerations when choosing a clinic. While before and after photos and testimonials are an important part of your research, keep in mind that the procedure is just one day of your journey. You will have to come back in for regular follow up appointments after the treatment. If you don’t “vibe” with the doctor, things can become uncomfortable if your expectations don’t align with your results.
5. What should you expect regarding results?
This is the most critical part of your cosmetic surgery consultation. For you to be happy at the end, you need to make sure that your expectations for your results align with the doctor’s expectations. It’s hard to explain what you will likely look like after your procedure in a phone call or video consultation. Making sure everyone is on the same page is easiest if you can sit down face to face to discuss it.
In-Person Cosmetic Surgery Consultations Align Your Goals with Expected Treatment Outcomes
If in person consultations are best, why do we even offer a virtual consultation option? For some patients, it’s good to START with a virtual online consultation. Even if you do, you should be open to a face to face consultation before your procedure. One of our favorite reasons to do an in-person consultation at Imagen is for the education and the personal connection.
We LOVE to teach! During your consultation, we will explain exactly what will happen on your procedure day, what you should expect after your treatment and why a given procedure is or isn’t the best option for you. Worried that you may have too many questions? The consultation is your opportunity to learn. It’s best to get your information directly from the source. We love it when you bring questions to your consultation! Write them down, we are always happy to answer any questions that you might have. We look forward to meeting you at your in-person consultation!
