In 2022, the American Society of Plastic Surgery reported a 19% increase in plastic surgeries compared to 2019. With many patients prioritizing plastic surgery, it is crucial to look for reliable resources to plan for plastic surgery. If you’ve been considering aesthetic surgery and want to know where to begin, these 6 steps will guide you toward booking with confidence.
Step 1:Find Your Preferred Surgeon
Seeing as safety is preeminent, it is highly recommended to find a board-certified surgeon. A surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) has completed thorough and rigorous examinations to demonstrate their surgical abilities. Trusted surgeons will include their certifications on their about page. Another crucial element to selecting a surgeon is evaluating their style & approach to surgery, meaning their artistic eye and ethical approach. Currently, many doctors use social media to showcase their work. While this is effective to a certain extent, it isn’t until you are in the office, meeting your doctor that you will have a better representation of their style & approach. By the end of your research, you should have 2-3 doctors narrowed down with whom you feel comfortable.
Step 2: Book Your Consultation
This brings us to booking your consultation. Once you feel confident with your doctors, you must book your consultation either by phone or online. If you do so online, you’ll likely receive a phone call to facilitate scheduling the consultation. Wait times for a consultation can widely vary depending on the surgeon but overall, an estimated wait window could be 3 weeks – 6 months. When booking your consultation and speaking with the patient educators, you’ll likely be informed of the estimated deposit for your chosen surgery. When arriving at your consultation, we encourage patients to bring a list of questions, a time frame for surgery in mind, and a deposit to reserve their surgery date. During this visit, your patient coordinator and doctor will do what they can to assess your needs and address your concerns.
Step 3: Book Your Surgery
When you find the right surgeon, you will likely feel it. Do not ignore your instincts! When you know, you are ready to book. All offices are different but, in the Houston, TX area, a typical range for reserving a surgery date is a 10-15% deposit. With Dr. Rodriguez, we ask for 10% to be placed on the surgery schedule. You will also need to begin planning for post-surgery care. Keep in mind that the surgery schedule is typically booked out for several months. Popular times to have surgery are in March (around Spring Break) and December (around the holidays) and these months are often fully booked up 6 months in advance. We encourage you to plan ahead so that we can best accommodate your desired time for surgery.
Step 4: Get Cleared For Surgery
Most doctors take this step very seriously. With Dr. Rodriguez, safety is the number one priority and your medical clearance must be done within 6 months of your surgery date. Because all surgeries include risks, this is critical to determining whether you are healthy enough for the procedure. For Dr. Rodriguez, medical clearance, at minimum, includes getting blood work done and a letter from your primary care physician, confirming there are no concerns to proceeding with surgery.
Step 5: Don’t Miss Your Preoperative Appointment
This is also commonly known as the Consent Appointment. Your preoperative appointment solidifies your surgical plan. Once it is completed, you will finalize the surgery you’ve been working toward! It is an exciting step in the process. In this appointment, you will receive detailed information regarding your selected surgery as well as information on postoperative care. In this meeting, you will consent and sign legal documents consenting to the risks and expectations of the surgery. To give you a timeline, this appointment typically occurs anywhere from 2-3 weeks before your surgery date.
Step 6: Stay Healthy
In order to ensure you meet your scheduled surgery date, and all your planning and preparation does not go to waste, you must stay healthy! The most common recommendations are to avoid large crowds in the weeks before surgery; if you go out to large festivals, concerts, airports, or conferences, wear a mask and wash your hands regularly. Additionally, stay hydrated and eat healthy! Lastly, avoid alcohol especially 48 hours before surgery as it can severely affect the body.
Overall, these simple steps can help you prepare when planning for your plastic surgery. If you have more questions, reach out via our contact form. If you are interested in beginning your aesthetic journey, consider booking a consultation with Dr. Rodriguez today.