Is the procedure within my budget?
Going through a surgical procedure can cost a lot. It is unfortunate though that plastic surgery is a type of cosmetic surgery so it has no health insurance coverage. There are a lot of reputable and board-certified plastic surgeons that provide different payment options like by means of credit card, health care financing and cash. The available options will be explained by a patient coordinator during consultation so it would meet the budget of the patient.
Patients should know if the consultation is free or if its price will be deducted from the cost of the procedure. During consultation, they should be able to get the total price of the procedure they intend to have. They should check with the patient coordinator to make sure there are no hidden charges.
The total cost includes the professional fee of the surgeon, charge of the anaesthesiologist, the fees of the surgical center, costs of follow-up appointments as well as the garments used for surgery. In addition to this, they should include the cost of medications and wages lost if the procedure requires the patient to take a leave from work.
Am I prepared for the recovery period?
Some patients are too excited to see the outcome of their desired surgical procedure whether it is a flat tummy or new, shapely breasts that they forget about the recovery period. They have to keep in mind that after the procedure they will be tired, swollen, sore and bruised from days to weeks, depending on the type of procedure.
Those who undergo breast augmentation will only need to rest for a few days while a body lift or tummy tuck will require several weeks of rest. To prevent complications, patients should follow the surgeon’s advice on the amount of time they need to rest to fully recover.
If patients have children, they should get help to care for them. They are not allowed to carry kids or heavy objects for 4 to 6 weeks. Also, they are not allowed to drive until they have stopped all medications for pain. They should let a family member or friend to assist them with the kids during the recovery period to ensure effective healing.
As a final word, patients should do their research and find a board-certified plastic surgeon whom they could trust to do the procedure. They should give enough time and thought to decide on the best procedure to meet their needs and budget.
If after consultation they are not too comfortable with the surgeon or office, they can always get a second opinion or even a third. When they are satisfied with the answers to the questions above then maybe they are ready to proceed with the plastic surgery.