What to Expect During Your
Initial Liposuction Consultation

During the initial consultation, your physician will discuss your areas of concern, expectations, goals and whether they are achievable. Your plastic surgeon will also assess your skin tone to identify whether you will benefit from the surgery, and will explain what methods of body contouring will work best for you. Your physician will also take a medical history, perform a physical examination, measure your body mass index and assess your state of mind. The purpose is to identify any conditions or issues that may affect your ability to benefit from liposuction. They will also describe the pre-op visit, the procedure, and post-operative care.

What to ask your plastic surgeon about liposuction.

• What are the risks and complications associated with liposuction?
• What results can I expect?
• What type of anesthesia does the physician recommend for my procedure? Why?
• How long will it take for me to heal? How long will it take before I can go back to work or resume my normal activities?
• What alternate procedures to surgery are available?
• What are my options if I’m not satisfied with the results?
• Do you have before and after pictures that I can look at?

What happens during a pre-op visit?

Your plastic surgeon may perform a physical examination or will have instructed you to have an additional examination by your primary care physician. He may also have asked you to have blood work, EKG, or other tests relevant to your age or health. The surgeon can then assess whether you are a good candidate for the procedure.

Questions your plastic surgeon may ask you could include:

• Do you have any history of high blood pressure, heart disease, or bleeding disorder?
• Do you have diabetes?
• Do you have any breathing problems, including shortness of breath, bronchitis, emphysema, or COPD?
• Do you have allergies to any medications?
• What medications do you take? (including supplements, vitamins, etc.)
• Do you smoke, drink alcohol, or use any other drugs?

At this visit your doctor will discuss the procedure in more detail including incision placement, your expectations and what is achievable. You will also complete a surgical consent form.

You will be given detailed directions on what you should do before your procedure. You may need to order the compression garment you will wear home from your surgery. Your instructions may also include information about eating, drinking, taking vitamins or minerals, and avoiding certain medications.