Questions to Ask a Plastic Surgeon

Surgery Thailand editorial team · General information

Asking direct questions is not awkward — it is how you make an informed decision. The list below is general and applies to most surgical consultations.

About qualifications and experience

• Are you a board-certified plastic surgeon, and where is your certification registered?
• What is your registration or licence number?
• How often do you perform this particular procedure?
• Where would the procedure take place, and what facilities are available there?
• Who else would be involved in my care, including the anaesthetist?

About the procedure

• What exactly is being proposed, in plain language?
• What alternatives exist, including doing nothing?
• What type of anaesthesia would be used?
• Roughly how long does the procedure take?
• Where would any scars be, and how are they likely to change over time?

About risks

No operation is risk-free, and a surgeon should be willing to discuss this plainly.

• What are the common side effects I should expect?
• What are the less common but more serious complications?
• What factors in my own health or history increase my risk?
• What would happen if a complication occurred while I was travelling home?

About recovery and results

• What does recovery realistically involve, week by week?
• When could I return to work, driving, exercise and travel?
• When would the result be considered settled?
• How much variation is there in outcomes between patients?
• What is the policy if a revision were needed, and what would that cost?

About cost and consent

• What is included in the quoted cost, and what is not?
• What follow-up appointments are included?
• What written information and consent documents will I receive beforehand?