Questions to Ask Your Facial Plastic Surgeon

-by Lisa Daeffler, Patient Consultant for Dr. Heather Lee, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon

A frequent question that I get from patients who come in for a consultation is, “What should I be asking?”  Patients often say that they don’t know what they don’t know, and they are not sure what questions are relevant to the surgical procedures that are being recommended to them, especially patients who have never had any type of surgery previously.

If you’re thinking about having facial plastic surgery, here are some frequently asked questions you may want to inquire about when you first call the office and speak to a Patient Consultant and when you attend your consultation appointment:

General Surgery Questions

• Am I a good candidate for plastic surgery?
• Is the surgery center accredited?
• Where are the incisions going to be?
• Why are you recommending one procedure vs. another?
• What are the risks/complications, and how often do these occur?
• How long can I expect these results to last?
• Does everything “fall” back to where it was after a certain period of time?
• What happens in an outpatient surgery center if there is an emergent situation?
• Can I spend the night, the day of my surgery?
• I’m coming from out of town, what type of accommodations are available?
• Can I see before and after photos?
• Is there a patient I can talk to who has had the procedure being recommended for me?
• Will I need to have a COVID test? Even if I’m vaccinated?

Questions to Ask About Your Surgeon

• What are my surgeon’s certifications?
• How often does the surgeon perform this procedure?

Questions to Ask About Anesthesia/Pain Management

• What do you prescribe for pain management?
• Do I HAVE to take the narcotics after surgery?
• What type of anesthesia do you use?

Questions to Ask About Recovery After Surgery

• What can I expect with regard to pain and discomfort?
• What can I expect with regard to results at 2 weeks, 3 months and 1 year from surgery?
• Will I have drains after my surgery?
• How long do I need to stay out of the sun?
• When can I exercise after surgery?
• When can I drive after surgery?
• How long before my incisions will be healed enough that people won’t see or ask questions about them?
• When can I shower after surgery?
• How long after surgery do I need to wait before I can travel by plane?

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon About Rhinoplasty

• Will functional nasal surgery change the appearance of my nose?
• How long before I can blow my nose after rhinoplasty?

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon About Hair Restoration

• Is there a guarantee with hair restoration surgery?
• Will you need to cut my hair?

Questions to Ask Your Surgeon About Eyelid Surgery

• Will my vision be impaired with a blepharoplasty?

This is by no means an exhaustive list, just some of the more frequently-asked questions. It is always important, as a patient, to do your research prior to committing to surgery, and you’ll find in doing so that you’ll come up with a slew of questions on your own. The more prepared you are, the more comfortable you’ll be the day of surgery, so don’t ever think there is a foolish question.

We are here to give you all of the information you need to make an informed and educated decision about a surgery that will change your life, so, ask away!

To speak to a Patient Consultant about your specific questions, call our office at (585) 244-1000 or contact us.