Quick blog.
I have patients who are returning patients years down the road for a new procedure, but they now live elsewhere. Other patients have found me on the internet, particularly for my expertise in short scar breast reductions, breast implant removal, and fat grafting, and want to travel to me for surgery.
I would love to be your doctor.
Here are 5 things to think about:
- I need to see you live for a consultation. This can be well in advance of your surgery, but there are some things you just can’t see over zoom. Is that bulge due to fat or muscle? How stretchy is your skin? For all breast surgeries, I do measurements and 3D imaging to assess size and asymmetries. This initial visit is with me directly, and this is where I really get to know you, see what you hope to achieve, figure out what we can do, and dive deep into your medical history to assess risk. Again, I am happy to do this visit months ahead of when you want to do a surgery. It is our planning visit. This consultation visit is important for you as well- does this feel like a good fit?
- For the surgery, you need to come in the day before. We can do much of your preop via zoom, but we need to take photos, measurements, sign consents, etc. and we will do this the day before your procedure. When you are on the trip to come here, make sure you walk around on the plane/stop during your car ride to walk around.
- You need someone to take care of you. After surgery when you leave the operating center, you need someone you know to be with you for at least the first 24 hours. You cannot Uber it back to a hotel. How long you need someone with you varies from surgery to surgery and what your stay situation looks like. We can discuss it with you.
- I need to see you for the first two post op appointments at my office. Those are usually around 2 days after surgery and then the following week. If you live driving distance away, you can go home in between. If flying in from elsewhere, this means around 10 days of being in the area. You cannot drive to your first postop appointment (you are medicated/pain/etc) and perhaps your second (depends on type of surgery).
- You are at a higher risk after ANY surgery for 3 weeks for a blood clot in your leg. So if you have a car ride or plane ride, you need to walk around every 1-2 hours for a few minutes.
When traveling, you cannot do a lot of “exercise”- this includes lifting suitcases, walking long distances in the airport, etc.
Factor in other costs. There is a cost to going to a plastic surgeon far away- plane flights, hotel rooms, etc. If you have any kind of complication or healing issue, local doctors where you live won’t want to see you. You need to return to your operating surgeon. I am always happy to see you.
I am not trying to talk you out of coming to me for surgery. I am a Board Certified experienced Plastic Surgeon. (Traveling to have surgery with me is not like going to “medical tourism” at a cut rate place in Central America). I operate at a certified surgical center and only use Board Certified Anesthesia MDs. I have been in practice for 25 years and done thousands of surgeries. I have many patients who stress how they feel comfortable with me, and trust me (so important), or have friends or personal experiences which make them want me to be their doctor. I am not trying to minimize that at all.
But there are great surgeons all over the country. If there is someone you like equally well in your hometown, there are lots of benefits to staying local.