Planning your surgery

You have probably been contemplating doing something for some time now and, in the interest of research, you have found your way here, to my site. Perhaps you know someone who has undergone a similar procedure to that which you are considering or you have seen something on TV or elsewhere in the media. I have the following advice to anyone considering a cosmetic surgery procedure:

1. Get educated, but keep it real. You do not need the same depth of knowledge about plastic surgery that I have to make the decision to have a procedure. You should however know the process: what the surgery entails, the likely recovery and possible things that can go wrong. Most of that information for the procedures that I do is on this site and certainly at consultation a comprehensive operative plan will be tailored to you and your requirements to allow you to achieve what I believe will be the best outcome for you. By all means, read up more about your potential procedure elsewhere and seek a second opinion from another reputable plastic surgeon if you want.

2. Have realistic expectations. You will be happy with surgery if your expectations are achieved and if they are realistic then you have every chance of success. Don't expect the unrealistic. Obviously if you are 68 I cannot make you look 20 (its the loss of skin elasticity that holds us back). Don't expect perfect symmetry: the two sides of the body are not the same, the face has a long, thin side and a short broad side, the left breast tends to be slighty broader, the right breast longer and most people have a dominant side.

3. Trust. You will voluntarily be putting yourself into the role of a patient. After any surgery you will experience pain, bruising and swelling (however minor or major). To get through the process you need to trust me and my staff to care for you and to help you through. In almost all cases the journey is not nearly as bad as you expect it will be.

You may get varying opinions from different plastic surgeons and from what you read. There is often more than one way to achieve the same end. My own philosophy is to keep things simple. I will guide you through the process, help you in deciding what is best for you (even if it is no surgery) and let you know what to expect at each step along the journey.