This is where we start the process.
About consultation process
We view the consultation process with just as much respect as performing surgery. It can be said that the best surgical results can only happen with the best consultations. While Richard may see many patients for consultations, every person is treated as a valued individual, who brings with them their own motivations and expectations. Every patient receives personalised care, and all procedures are tailored to the individual.
At your initial consultation, you will be asked to complete a patient information questionnaire to ensure we have all the correct details. Depending on what type of surgical issue you would like to address, you may be asked to complete further specific surveys. These include the Body Dysmorphic Disorder survey (now an AHPRA requirement prior to any aesthetic surgery), NOSE survey (prior to rhinoplasty) and occasionally questionnaires relating to other symptoms, again depending on the nature of your appointment. Don’t worry, we dislike paperwork as much as anyone, but these surveys can really crystalise your motivations for surgery, main goals and what a successful outcome might be like for you.
The most important thing to remember when taking part in the consultation is be as open as you can be about why you would like to discuss surgery, the things that concern you about your appearance or medical condition and how it impacts your everyday life. Sometimes these topics can be a bit sensitive or confronting, and we respect that, so we encourage you to bring a friend or loved one for support should you need to.
What happens during initial consultation
For most non-cosmetic patients, a single pre-operative consultation may be all that is required, although further discussions are always available should you wish for further clarification or help with your decision-making. We may need to discuss preliminary biopsy or imaging results, and sometimes this can be done via telehealth, but where treatment decisions need to be made, Richard prefers the clarity of face-to-face discussion where possible.
For cosmetic patients, we require at least two pre-operative consultations, face-to-face with Richard, your Specialist Plastic Surgeon. During the initial consultation, we’ll discuss your aims, motivations, how you came to consider Plastic Surgery, and how we can help you achieve your desired outcome. An important part of the initial consultation is in education about what Plastic Surgery can (and can’t) provide. Many patients just want help with a particular part of their appearance, but don’t really know how to approach it. And that’s exactly what the initial consultation is about. It’s not a time to lecture or dictate, just a thorough discussion about what options are available to you and which may be best suited given your specific goals and body type.
As part of a patient-specific physical examination we may need to measure your height and body weight. In addition, Richard may need to take various measurements which aid in surgical planning. For breast and body procedures, this usually requires removal of a bra, but not removal of your dignity. Richard appreciates that this can be a confronting situation for those with concerns about their body, and we’ll do everything we can to make you comfortable. Once all the information-gathering part is done, we can take time to discuss your options for treatment. While pre- and post-operative clinical photography is invaluable (and absolutely necessary for planning), we usually prefer to take pre-operative photographs at the second consultation, as this again can be a confronting experience for patients.
Need for biopsies
Tissue biopsies are a common part of Plastic Surgery. They are used where clinical diagnosis may be a little uncertain and help to solidify the treatment plan. Most often, these can be done in the rooms, either at the time of initial consultation or at a mutually-agreed date. Biopsies are usually performed under local anaesthetic and only take a few minutes. Occasionally we will need to suture the biopsy site. The results are often available a few days later and a treatment plan can be confirmed.
Your treatment plan
At the end of your consultation, we’ll discuss in detail your plan for treatment. This might include further scans or tests, surgery, non-surgical interventions or just close, careful observation in some cases. We want all our patients to feel empowered to not only ask questions, but play and active role in their treatment decisions.
Developing realistic expectations
Most people aren’t really familiar with modern plastic surgery techniques, which is where we come in. There are so many images and stories of other people’s plastic surgery journeys throughout social media that it can be hard to know what is realistic for anyone, let alone what is achievable for you as an individual.
One of the most important parts of your consultation with Richard is the discussion around what is realistically achievable- what you can expect. Not everybody responds to surgery in the same way, with natural differences in skin elasticity, healing capacity and scarring tendency all combining to create individual results for the unique individual that you are.
Assessing your outcomes
Close follow-up over weeks, months and often years is the key to successful outcomes. Experienced Plastic Surgeons know that all our results will change over time, as skin stretches, scars mature and gravity continues to do what gravity does best. Your plan for follow-up consultations will be discussed as part of a comprehensive treatment plan during your pre-operative consultations, but also during post-op reviews.
Consultation request form including online enquiries/ advice
Please contact us using the form, or call during business hours. The best advice and information is obtained through face-to-face discussion, so feel free to arrange an appointment at your convenience.
For any medical emergencies, please dial 000 or go to your nearest hospital Emergency Department.
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