Plastic Surgery Consultations are the first step when you start looking for the perfect doctor for your specific surgery. I knew I wanted to have a “Mommy Makeover” which consists of both breast augmentation and abdominoplasty. Of course, I wanted to work with the best doctor I could find and I think I did a great job vetting my surgeon.
You can find my 2020 update at the bottom of this post to share what I’ve learned six years later.
Plastic Surgery Consultations for a “Mommy Makeover”
After researching doctors online you’ll want to schedule a consult. If the doctor is reputable this appointment should be free. I chose to have three plastic surgery consultations visits with doctors in different cities, and each one was a different experience.
This was an important factor in helping me choose a doctor. Of the three consults, I scheduled my consult at Davis Plastic Surgery; was the most informative and the best experience overall.
When I walked into the office, I immediately felt at ease. It was different from some of the offices I visited because it felt much more comfortable and a lot less like a typical doctor’s office.
The staff was amiable and made sure I had everything I needed while I waited to be seen by the doctor.
Dr. Davis himself came out to get me and immediately took me back to his office. I didn’t have to talk with a nurse first and then wait for him to come back and speak with me as I had at other surgery centers.
We met for a moment in his office to discuss some basics (which procedures I wanted, why I wanted them, and what was important to me), and then he had me go into an exam room so he could take a look at my stomach and take my measurements.
While I realize that this is entirely a personal opinion, I was impressed with the quality of the office, the equipment, and everything else down to the black robes they use (honestly, who wants to use a paper robe?).
You can easily see that Dr. Davis and his staff strive to provide the best experience possible for every patient.
Plastic Surgery Consultations: Education
After the doctor finished my exam, we went back to his office to discuss my procedures. Unlike my other consults, I enjoyed my conversation with Dr. Davis. It didn’t feel like he was trying to “sell” the methods or his office to me; it was more like plastic surgery 101!
He went in-depth about each procedure explaining exactly how they would be performed, what my different options were, he went over every possible downside to having the surgery. He explained everything in a way that was easy to understand.
I can honestly say that after two other consults, I learned more from this visit than I did anywhere else, and I left feeling more comfortable about the choices I was making (not because he made them sound good, but because I felt fully educated).
After we went over the procedures, I was able to view before and after images from past surgeries, and that helped me get a better idea of what I could expect in terms of my results. I wanted to have realistic expectations, and to see other women who had similar body types helped me with that.
I also went ahead and had my breast implant pre-op appointment the same day, which you can read about here.
Plastic Surgery Consultations: What I wish I had known:
If I could turn back time, I would have educated myself about breast implants before getting them. Clueless is how I would describe my state of mind at the time of this consult. I didn’t even know how to find a great plastic surgeon.
Hindsight is 20/20, and I regret my breast augmentation. Boy, I also wish I would have learned more about tummy tuck scaring before making my final choice. My scar is pretty extensive, and I’ve seen beautiful cuts since getting my surgery.
July 2020 Update: Learn about my experience with breast implant illness and follow me as I share my breast explant via en bloc this September. Please read Do I have Breast Implant Illness? before getting implants!