What to Expect From Your Breast Lift Consultation

When planning any surgery, the one-on-one consultation between surgeon and patient is an essential part of the process. During this time, the surgeon has the chance to evaluate your body and hear about your concerns. Likewise, you as the patient will have the chance to get to know your surgeon, hear his or her opinions on your surgical solutions, and decide if the procedure is right for you. The breast lift consultation is no different, offering each party an important first meeting that will get the ball rolling on your upcoming surgery. If you’re nervous about what to expect from your breast lift consultation, take a deep breath and start preparing yourself with these helpful tips.

What Topics Will Be Discussed?

Once you have decided that breast lift surgery is an option you’d like to explore, walking into your consultation can be an important moment. It’s the beginning of your journey to reclaiming your breasts, reversing the effects of pregnancy, weight fluctuations, genetics, and aging. Before you walk through the door, however, you should consider some of the topics that will be discussed and some of the information you should prepare ahead of time. Your surgeon will ask many questions, so be ready to discuss these issues at your breast lift consultation:

• Your personal medical history, including your current and previous conditions. Discuss any recent treatments you have had for any conditions as well.
• Your allergies, particularly any known reactions to drugs.
• Your current medications, as well as any vitamins and herbal supplements that you take.
• Your family history, including any breast cancer diagnoses.
• Your daily habits, including your use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.
• Your previous surgeries and how you healed, which can help the surgeon understand your risk of scarring.
• Your breast health, which may require any records of previous mammograms and biopsies. He or she may order a mammogram to be performed prior to your surgery if you have never had one.
• Your expectations for surgery, which should be realistic. This can help your doctor design the right procedure to address your needs and concerns.

How Will My Breasts Be Evaluated?

An effective surgery can only be planned once the breast surgeon has been able to completely examine your breasts and make a full evaluation of their features and unique needs. If you have been deemed a good candidate for breast lift surgery, he will perform this examination during your consultation. This involves an assessment of the degree of skin laxity, breast sagging, excess fat, and excess skin. Measurements will also be taken of the size of your breasts, as well as the placement of both your nipples and areolae. With this information at hand, he can now plan the most effective procedure for your breasts. Your “before” photos will also likely be taken at this time for post-operative evaluation.

Can I Contribute to Planning My Procedure?

Finally, the planning stages begin, during which your breast surgeon will make recommendations for how he would like to perform your surgery. He will describe the expected results from this approach, possible using before and after photos of previous patients to give you a clearer idea of what to expect. He may also detail any potential complications or other risks that you may face as a breast lift patient. Additionally, he will explain the specifics of the procedure and his choice of anesthetic to be used for the surgery.

You may feel like a lot of information is being thrown at you during this time, but don’t panic. You will have the chance to ask your questions about adding volume through a breast augmentation, a common surgical pairing, or your recovery process or even where the surgery will be performed. Your surgeon will expect you to ask questions in order to become more comfortable with the procedure and the entire process. You should also speak up if you have other concerns about your breasts that you felt were not addressed during his surgical recommendations. This is meant to be an open dialogue to help you feel involved in the process, so don’t hesitate to speak up. Working together toward achieving your goals for your breast lift surgery is your surgeon’s goal as well as yours.

Consult With the Right Surgeon for Best Results

Begin your own journey to breast lift surgery by booking a consultation with the right plastic surgeon. Frederick G. Weniger, M.D., F.A.C.S. provides his patients with years of experience and knowledge during one-on-one consultations regarding the surgeries and nonsurgical treatments available at their practice.

Dr. Weniger is board certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery and a member of The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. He believes good information lies at the heart of success.

To schedule a consultation, contact the office of Weniger Plastic Surgery today at (843) 757-0123. They are located at 350 Fording Island Road, Suite 200, in Bluffton, South Carolina.