Initial Consultation

What can you expect on your initial consultation? Well like I said before, I was lazy and did not shop around for my surgeon. So I only really had one consultation. Obviously, I was happy with how it went. I already knew exactly what I wanted surgically, and had already researched the procedures on the internet. As I have aged, my neck/jaw line has accumulated a lot of fat. No kind of exercise or weight loss seems to change this. Each year it seems to get worse and worse, with my neck/jaw and chin molding into one. My father, brother and sister suffer from the same genetic condition. I also have a very recessed chin/jaw. When talking recently to an Orthodontist about my bite/jaw problems, he asked if I sucked my thumb or fingers as a child. As it turns out, I did…and this finger sucking whilst young altered the growth of the lower jaw. Braces as a child would have corrected and guided the jaw growth, but as an adult there is nothing you can do about it besides jaw surgery.

Anyway, I discussed my concerns with the plastic surgeon…I told him I want him to suck out my double chin and to have more definition in my chin/jaw line. He took examined my face, and squeezed the fat under my chin between his two fingers. He then asked me to swallow. I am guessing he was checking if it was fat that was causing my double chin, or the muscle sagging. After reviewing my face and taking some photos, my surgeon suggested a few options. First of all, he suggested I would greatly benefit from a chin implant. This would provide some projection to my chin, and improve the balance of my lower face. He also suggested two options when it came to removing the fat from my neck and under chin. He said he could simply liposuction the fat, which will give me a 20% improvement. Or he could tighten and lift the platysma muscle which is located under the neck, plus have liposuction which would give me a 40% improvement. Another procedure he suggested would suit my face was to have some buccal fat removed from my lower cheeks. After checking my cheeks he believed I would be a good candidate for this, as I have a very round face, and a moderate amount of lower cheek mass. He also questioned me about my parents faces, as removing the buccal fat pads in certain patients can be a bad move. As we age, we lose fat in the face, and this can create a gaunt look in later years. Both my mother and father have full round lower cheeks, so I got the genetic nod of approval. The surgeon suggested that if he was me, he would just go for the chin implant, neck liposuction and buccal fat removal. And suggested that I would be very happy with the results. He then uploaded my photos to his computer, and showed me what my face would look like after surgery. To be honest, at the time I was not entirely impressed with the computer images. But at the same time I realise this is only an indicator of outcome, and it did definitely look better than my current profile, which resembled something similar to a Muppet. The surgeon also questioned my psychological health, and my expectations from the surgery. He asked how important this surgery was to me? I answered the questions honestly. I do not believe I have unrealistic expectations..I don’t want him to morph me into Brad Pitt, I just want to look like myself, only improved. As for how important the surgery was to me, I feel if he rejected my request for surgery, I may have given up on the whole idea. While it was important to me, it was not the be all and end all. I am sure I would have found a new challenge to make life less boring.

After briefly explaining the procedures recommended for my face, and how they are performed, the surgeon asked me if I had any questions? I recommend you bring a list of questions to your initial consultation, so you don’t forget anything when it comes to the crunch. Because of the research I had already done prior, and my love for the TV series Extreme Makeover, I was very familiar with the procedures he suggested. Hell, give me a Scalpel and Cannula, and I could have probably performed the procedures myself! (well, not quite.. )

Once the consultation was finished, I was introduced to the Surgeon’s coordinator, who explained what to do if I wish to proceed. She also printed out a quote for me. Please email me if you wish to know the breakdown on how much each procedure costs me.