It is tremendously important to recognize that any discussion with a doctor online is only a prelude to a consultation in the doctor's office. It is only after the all-important office consultation (when everything should be explained in detail and all your questions answered) that decisions can be made about when and if to have the surgery.

In Office Surgeon-Patient Consultations
The preoperative consultation is an extremely important part of cosmetic surgery. It sets the tone for everything that follows. You will be able to meet your surgeon and discuss the problems that you feel need correction. You'll learn whether your expectations are realistic, what surgical procedure is indicated and all about the limitations and possible complications of surgery. So be prepared. Ask about anything that concerns you. If a good foundation is laid during the consultation and you have chosen a skillful surgeon, you're almost sure to be satisfied after the operation.

Discuss Your Problem
This is really the primary reason for your visit and it's vital to take an active role in expressing your desires. Some people bring pictures of other people who they would like to look like, but this is generally not helpful. However, if you have found your doctor through PerfectYourself, the surgeon will already have a good idea of what your desires are as shown in your enhanced photo.

If the surgery is intended to correct the body, you may have to disrobe and point out the problem. For facial conditions, the doctor will hand you a mirror and ask exactly what it is that you want done. So just describe the change and be as explicit as possible.

Then the doctor will perform a thorough examination and state what can and should be done. Moreover, the doctor should explain what cannot be done, because the procedure probably has some limitations. This kind of give-and-take is crucial to the outcome of the operation. The doctor and patient should be on the same wavelength. If you still have any doubts or questions, set up a second consultation to resolve them.

Your Medical History
It's extremely important to tell your doctor of any significant illnesses or previous operations that may affect the outcome of your procedure. For example, people with certain heart diseases usually do all right, but high blood pressure must be carefully controlled. If you have a heart murmur, antibiotics should be taken before the operation. Diabetics may have healing problems and any anemia should be treated before undergoing surgery.

Also, be sure to mention if you're presently taking drugs or medicine, and whether you have any allergies. It's especially imperative to reveal any tendency to prolonged bleeding.

Also, cigarette smoking can be very dangerous. Not only is it entirely destructive to one's health and life expectancy (lung cancer, emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, etc.), it destroys the small blood vessels in the body. This causes facial wrinkling! Furthermore, if a smoker has a face lift, the person has a high risk for having some of the skin die which would leave extensive scarring. No one should ever smoke cigarettes, but especially before having surgery.

The Procedure Description
Ask to have the operative technique explained in understandable terms. You should understand exactly what is being proposed. Inquire whether there will be any scars and where they are likely to form, although no one can predict how any particular patient will heal. You should be told what to expect during the postoperative recovery period - discoloration, swelling, pain, if any, etc. You should learn when you can return to work and when you can resume vigorous exercise. And again, you should be advised of the procedure's limitations so that you have a realistic idea of what results to expect. There should be no surprises.

Risks and Complications
You must hear all the possible risks and complications. While postoperative complications are unusual, every procedure entails at least a small chance of something going wrong. The doctor is obligated to tell you about the risks, how likely they are and what can be done to treat them if they do occur. A risk is something that the doctor cannot control, no matter how diligent. For example, injuring a nerve during a face lift is not really a risk because no doctor who is skillful would injure a nerve during the operation.