A facelift consultation is not a sales appointment and should not feel like one. It is an assessment, and its purpose is to establish whether the operation is appropriate for you at all, what it could reasonably achieve, and what it would cost you in recovery.
Knowing the shape of it in advance makes it far more useful, because you spend the time on your own questions rather than working out what is happening.
What happens, in order
Consultations vary between surgeons, but the substance is consistent. Most cover the same ground in roughly the same sequence.
- What is bothering you, in your words. This shapes everything that follows.
- Your medical history, medication, allergies, previous surgery and previous anaesthetics.
- Examination of the face and neck, which is the part that cannot be done any other way.
- What is realistic for you, including what the operation will not change.
- The alternatives, including smaller procedures, non-surgical options and doing nothing.
- Risks and recovery, in specific terms rather than general reassurance.
- Practicalities: how long the operation takes, the hospital stay, and follow-up.
The facelift procedure page publishes the practice’s general guide to those last points: three to four hours of surgery, one to two days in hospital, and five to seven days of recuperation.
The examination, and why it decides everything
This is the part people are least prepared for and the part that carries the most weight. A surgeon is assessing things that photographs cannot show.
How lax the tissues are, how the skin behaves when it is moved and released, where the fat sits, what the underlying bone structure is doing, how the neck behaves, and how the two sides of your face differ. Most faces are noticeably asymmetric, and this is usually the first time anyone has pointed it out to you.
Out of that comes the answer to what is achievable, which is specific to you rather than to the procedure. It is also where a surgeon may conclude that a facelift is not what you need, and that conclusion is worth more than an agreeable one.
Expect to be looked at in good light, sitting upright, without make-up. Come without it if you can, since it hides exactly the things being assessed.
What you should be told, not merely asked
A consultation is a two-way exchange, and there is a minimum you should come away having been told. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons publishes patient guidance on considering aesthetic surgery that takes a similar view of what a proper discussion contains.
| You should be told | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What is proposed, precisely | “A facelift” covers several different operations. |
| What it will not change | Skin quality and surface lines are separate problems. |
| The specific risks for you | Your health and habits change the general picture. |
| Where scars will be | They are placed, not avoided, and you should know where. |
| What recovery demands | Time off, help at home, and what the first fortnight looks like. |
| Who operates, and where | The surgeon, the facility and who gives the anaesthetic. |
| What happens if it goes wrong | A plan rather than a reassurance. |
If any row is missing at the end of the appointment, ask before you leave. None of these is an awkward question, and a good surgeon will have raised most of them unprompted.
What to bring, and what to say
Bring a written list of your medication including supplements, an account of previous surgery, and your questions on paper. Questions worth asking a plastic surgeon is a reasonable starting set, and preparing for a surgical consultation covers the groundwork in more detail.
Describe the problem rather than the solution. “My jawline has softened and my neck bothers me in photographs” gives a surgeon something to work with. “I want a facelift” is a conclusion, and it may not be the one your face supports.
Photographs of yourself from a few years ago are more useful than photographs of other people. They show what has changed, which is the actual subject of the conversation.
Say what you are worried about, including the things that feel unserious. Whether people will be able to tell, what you will look like at two weeks, and whether you can hide it from colleagues are all reasonable questions and all get sensible answers.
Why there will be no photograph gallery
Patients who have researched surgeons elsewhere often expect to be shown before-and-after images, and are surprised when they are not.
Under the regulations of the Medical Council of Thailand, this practice does not display before-and-after photographs. That applies to every procedure and is a rule being followed rather than a comment on any result, as the before and after page explains.
What replaces a gallery is the examination itself, which is a better basis for a decision. Someone else’s result tells you what was possible for their face, under lighting the clinic chose.
After the appointment
The hours immediately afterwards are when most of the thinking happens, and they are easier if you write down what you were told before the detail blurs.
Give yourself time before deciding. A week is not an unreasonable pause, and no legitimate practice will object to it.
If you are comparing surgeons, compare what each considered worth raising rather than the impression each made. One who spent time on risks and one who spent time on results have told you something about how they practise.
Consulting from abroad
If you are travelling, much of this can begin remotely: the description of what bothers you, the history, the discussion of sequence, and the practical questions about time and follow-up.
What cannot happen remotely is the examination, which is the part everything else rests on. Remote consultations before travelling sets out that boundary in detail.
Plan a quiet day around the in-person consultation rather than arriving jet-lagged the night before. Deciding about surgery while exhausted is a poor use of an appointment you travelled for. The clinic contact details cover both the Bangkok and Chiang Mai locations.
Questions people ask
How long does a consultation take?
Long enough to cover the ground above without hurrying, which usually means the better part of an hour. An appointment that feels rushed is worth remarking on rather than accepting.
Will I be expected to decide on the day?
You should not be. Elective surgery does not require a same-day decision, and pressure to commit while you are still in the room is a warning sign rather than efficiency.
Can I bring someone with me?
Yes, and it is often worth doing. A second person remembers different things, and afterwards the two accounts together are more accurate than either alone.
What should I leave with?
A clear account of what was proposed, the alternatives, the risks discussed and the next step, ideally in writing. If you are still weighing it up, who is a candidate for a facelift covers what suitability turns on.
Medical information notice. This page is general information. It is not medical advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified medical professional. All surgery carries risk; suitability, recovery and results vary from person to person and are determined by individual medical assessment.