On this page, you will find an explanation of many aspects of cosmetic surgery.
Undergoing cosmetic facial surgery should be an informed decision, based on good understanding of many factors that are involved in such a treatment.
WHAT ISSUES GOVERN RESULTS IN FACIAL COSMETIC SURGERY?
Your Unique Body
Results in any form of plastic surgery depend not only on the skill and experience of the surgeon, but also on the health, skin texture, bone structure, and healing capacity and the particular problem of the patient.
Your Perspective
The media has repeatedly given to the public much information regarding cosmetic surgery but unfortunately, in most instances, it has added unnecessary sensationalism. This may have encouraged some patients to expect a miraculous transformation or to seek absolute perfection.
Such patients are not suitable candidates for cosmetic facial surgery. On the other hand, a surgeon who does not strive for absolute perfection by paying meticulous attention to every detail, may not be a suitable choice.
Your Expectations and Trust
We must not forget that facial cosmetic surgery has to combine art and science with aesthetics as the measure of a successful result. In choosing your surgeon, you must be sure that he not only has manual skill and artistic imagination but also the scientific understanding of the function of the body parts which will be surgically altered.
While he will make every effort to satisfy the patient’s individual expectations, it should be understood that sometimes the patient’s desires are not surgically unattainable. Therefore, the patient must ultimately trust the professional judgment of the surgeon for only he can evaluate artistic goals within the framework of functional anatomic limitations.
Your Understanding of the Profession
The practice of surgery is based on a thorough knowledge of the basic medical sciences and clinical problems that require many years of studying, practice, and constant efforts at self-improvement, revision and comparison of results on the part of the surgeon.
It also involves, however, many factors that are impossible to predict, such as the patient’s ability to heal and to resist complications.
“It would be unethical for any physician to guarantee the results of any treatment he renders or operations he performs. He can only guarantee to do the best he can to help the patient.”
Your Tolerance for Pain
The amount of pain and discomfort following facial surgery varies with the type of operation and the individual patient’s sensitivity. Generally, a small quantity of pain-killing medication is necessary. Recovery after some operations is painless.
The patient is incapacitated to some extent following these operations and he or she must be mature enough to tolerate the discomfort, understanding that it is temporary. Cosmetic operations would not be so popular today if the risks were substantial.
Complications are rare but they do exist. I will answer any questions with regard to the specific risk of any operation you are contemplating, during your office consultation.
Your Natural Scar Formation
All wounds heal by scar formation. The surgeon has little control over this process after the operation has been performed. However, the incisions for various cosmetic procedures are carefully designed in order to make the scars inconspicuous.
Your Budget
You must plan for the procedure(s) you wish to have and schedule the work in a responsible manner taking under consideration your financial situation.
Cosmetic surgery is a purely elective procedure. It is not an emergency or medically necessary treatment and the fees are payable before surgery. Your operation can be planned well in advance, enabling you to have sufficient time to arrange your finances.
Payment in advance does two things: One, It assures the surgeon that patients are not undertaking elective surgery that is beyond their means. Second, it assures the patient that the surgical fee for that particular operation and the usual post-operative care is paid in full. There will be no unexpected additional charges by the surgeon.
The surgical fee in some instances will differ for similar operations, depending on the amount of work required. Please be sure to discuss the particulars of your payment with me personally.
Your Insurance
Health insurance does not cover the costs of cosmetic surgery. Sometimes, when a cosmetic improvement is the by-product of another operation, or part of it is designed to improve function or relieve symptoms, the insurance company may contribute towards the hospital expenses to some degree.
All the patients shown on this web site are examples of my own work.
View Dr. Conrad’s Before & After Photo Gallery
Medications
Please make sure you report, during the pre-operative consultation, all the medications you are taking.
Any medicine containing aspirin (enquire with your druggist if necessary) must be discontinued or substituted by your family doctor for two weeks before the operation and at least one week after the surgery. The same applies to blood thinning medications.
Birth Control pills or any medication containing sex hormones (used for menopause or after gynecological operations) must be discontinued for two months after a chemical peel, laser skin resurfacing or dermabrasion, in order to decrease the risk of hyper-pigmentation [darkening] of the treated skin. You can continue with these medications for any other type of facial surgery.
Post-surgical depression is not unusual and is unrelated to the course or outcome of your surgery. It is not profound and dissipates within three to ten days, without medication.
Activities
Strenuous exercise and heavy work (lifting and moving heavy objects) must be delayed until the third post-operative month. Some activities may gradually be commenced during the sixth post-operative week. This will vary with the type of surgery carried out.
Getting out of bed and walking around as soon as the sense of balance returns to normal speeds up the recovery process. Avoid prolonged exposure to extreme weather conditions (i.e. sunshine or frost) during the first eight months after surgery.
Medical Photography
All patients undergoing facial cosmetic surgery are required to have medical photographs taken. The purpose of medical photography is multiple; the photographs provide accurate documentation of the appearance of the part of the body that will undergo surgery.
Although the surgeon examines the patients in his office on more than one occasion, the photographs are necessary for him to do his “homework” before the operation.
The photographs are also displayed on a screen in the operating room during surgery for easy reference. They show the patient’s features affected by the force of gravity in an upright position. Some of these features change considerably while the patient is lying on the operating table.