Starting your plastic surgery journey can feel like a daunting experience. The first step usually involves scheduling a private consultation with your chosen plastic surgeon. However, it’s normal to feel a bit nervous before your appointment and not know which questions to ask.
If you’re considering a tummy tuck at our Melbourne, FL, practice, we want you to feel comfortable and confident throughout the process. Here are 3 helpful conversation starters to use at your first appointment with your plastic surgeon.
Am I a good candidate for tummy tuck surgery?
Choosing to undergo plastic surgery is a very personal decision. You should be both physically and emotionally healthy before starting this intense process. When talking with your surgeon, be honest about your goals and talk about any potential concerns. Your doctor will carefully analyze your body, discuss what surgery can accomplish, and let you know if you’re a good candidate for a tummy tuck or if you might be better suited to a different body contouring procedure such as liposuction.
Ideal tummy tuck patients are people who:
- Have no underlying medical issues
- Understand the risks and rewards of surgery
- Have realistic expectations about their results
- Have excess, loose skin on the abdomen
How often do you perform tummy tuck procedures?
It’s important to find a board-certified plastic surgeon to perform your procedure. But beyond that, you should establish that your doctor has extensive experience in body contouring treatments. After all, not all plastic surgeons have the same skill and expertise. Some are generalists, performing a variety of procedures, while others specialize in a certain surgery or area of the body.
A good starter question is to ask how often your surgeon performs a tummy tuck in a given month. Choose someone with plenty of experience and many cases under their belt as well as very satisfied patients.
What do your tummy tuck results look like?
Looking at previous patients’ before and after pictures provides you with valuable information. Ask your surgeon to show you their patients’ photos, especially those with body types and concerns that are similar to yours. As you’re browsing through the tummy tuck before and after photos, notice how well the flattened tummy transitions to the waist and hips, how well the incision is hidden, and how the bellybutton has been reshaped. To get started, you can look at some of Dr. Diaz’ tummy tuck patient photos below:
What can I expect from tummy tuck recovery?
Tummy tuck surgery creates dramatic results, but it also requires a fairly long recovery time. It’s normal to want to get back to your everyday life as quickly as possible, but you shouldn’t rush the healing process. During your consultation, your doctor will give you a recovery timeline of when you can expect to get back to certain activities such as working, running, swimming, or flying. If you’re considering surgery, take these milestones seriously and know you’ll need to request time off work and daily chores to focus on healing.
Beginning your tummy tuck journey can be an exciting time. With these starter questions in your back pocket, you can have a friendly, informative conversation with your surgeon.
Browse our before-and-after gallery to see examples of more tummy tuck results. If you’re in the Orlando or Melbourne, FL, area and would like to learn more, request a consultation online or call (321) 951-2639.
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