How to Prepare for a Breast Augmentation Consultation

Initial consultations with your surgeon serve as an orientation for your impending cosmetic transformation — this is the time to understand what to expect from your procedure. Knowing what questions to ask and what answers to look for helps ease patient anxiety while preparing for a streamlined surgery day. For breast augmentation patients, the amount of customization options and medical considerations may feel overwhelming. Changing the shape and size of the breasts is a personal journey, with ideal results being entirely subjective to the patient’s preferences, so close collaboration with the surgeon yields the highest satisfaction rates. Patients who make the most of their consultation experience reduced anxiety and increased gratification with their results. Here is a comprehensive guide to preparing for a breast augmentation consultation:

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Before the Consultation:

The first step toward any cosmetic procedure is finding a board-certified plastic surgeon with a reputation for successful surgeries and satisfied patients. The American Board of Plastic Surgery provides this helpful checklist for determining who to go to for care. It’s important to ask these types of questions as, technically, the government doesn’t require a surgeon to be specifically trained in each procedure they offer. 

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Doing your due diligence before the consultation significantly reduces the chance of complications and risks. Most importantly, patients should go with their gut, which means researching their options independently and paying attention to how comfortable the practice makes them feel. After choosing a reputable professional, it’s time to prep for the consultation. 

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Do I need to know what specific procedure I want before the consultation?

It’s not necessary to have all the answers, and you may leave your consultation with a different surgery plan than you first intended. Still, patients should have a general idea of their goals and expectations for their breast augmentation, such as whether they want to change the size, shape, or placement of the breasts or if their procedure is purely cosmetic or reconstructive. However, some doctors specialize in specific types and techniques for breast augmentations, so having a concrete goal helps narrow the search for a surgeon. Before the consultation, take notes detailing how you envision your dream results and list any questions you have for your surgeon.

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What kind of research should I do before the consultation? 

Precursory research helps the patient better articulate their desired results and gain a realistic understanding of what’s possible. The surgeon will go over the procedures they offer, but it’s ideal to go into the consultation knowing the basics. A great starting place to research breast augmentation is the website for The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 

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Patients interested in implants benefit from going over the two main options (silicone or saline), different shapes (rounded or gummy bear), and different textures. However, the surgeon will have more information during the consultation. 

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Those looking for a more natural look and feel than implants should research fat transfers to the breasts. This procedure utilizes liposuction to graft fat cells from one body area to another, allowing for increased breast size without the external implant. 

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Other augmentation procedures include:

• Breast lifts to raise and reshape breasts that have lost firmness and elasticity. 
• Breast reduction to decrease the size of the breasts, often for medical or lifestyle purposes.
• Breast augmentation revision to correct errors or dissatisfaction with previous results.
• Breast explant surgery to remove/replace implants or treat capsular contracture.
• Breast reconstruction to restore the breasts after mastectomy or lumpectomy.

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What materials should I prepare?

• Paperwork: As with any doctor's appointment, patients must bring the necessary insurance information and identification for the practice’s records. 
• Notes: While at the consultation, refer to your notes and research as a guide to ensure all your questions are answered. Bring blank paper to take new notes, so you have a copy of what you learned.
• Goal pictures: To help the surgeon visualize your dream, have goal pictures similar to the results you’re looking for. It’s okay to pull from multiple images; maybe you like the shape of someone’s implants but not the size. The more detail, the better.  

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During the Consultation:

Consider the consultation an opportunity to interview each other — your surgeon is looking to get to know you, and you should be trying to get to know them. With your notes handy, ask as many questions as necessary and take in all the information your doctor gives you. Your doctor will address all your concerns and overview how they’ll perform the surgery and what recovery will look like. 

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What can I expect my surgeon to ask?

Though a consultation with a plastic surgeon differs from an appointment with a primary care doctor, the practice still needs an idea of your general health. Your surgeon will evaluate your current health through tests and questions, as well as go over your past medical history. 

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Here are some medical things your surgeon may ask about:

• Past medical history: Patients must disclose any pre-existing conditions and previous medical treatments, including past plastic surgery. 
• Mammogram Results: For breast augmentation patients, mammogram results may be required to ensure the surgeon operates on healthy tissue. 
• Lifestyle: Lifestyle choices like alcohol use and smoking may interfere with treatment and could increase the risk of complications. Patients should quit smoking before their surgery.
• Family medical history: The surgeon will want to know about familial history regarding breast cancer specifically. 

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In addition to better understanding your health and medical history, the surgeon will discuss your breast augmentation goals and the options to achieve those results. Implant patients will also have the opportunity to feel different types of implants.

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Here are aesthetic concerns your surgeon may ask about:

• Motivation: Knowing why a patient desires their augmentation (reconstructive, aging, post-partum, etc) helps the surgeon have a nuanced understanding of their needs.
• Size options: To ensure the patient's results look proportionate to their body, reviewing the possible size options gives a realistic idea of what’s achievable. 
• Combination procedures: Some surgeons recommend combining multiple procedures, like adding a lift to a fat transfer, to optimize results. 

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What types of medical examinations happen at a consultation?

While a large portion of the consultation is spent talking to obtain as much information as possible about how they’ll perform the surgery, they’ll also need to conduct some examinations, including:

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• Taking breasts measurements
• Tests for overall health (blood pressure, weight, height, etc)
• Taking pictures of the patient’s pre-op breasts
• Performing a physical breast exam to understand the patient's unique anatomy
• Helping the patient try on implant sizers

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What questions should I ask?

In addition to any notes or questions recorded through pre-consultation research, some important questions to remember include:

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• Can I see some before and after pictures?
• Am I a good candidate for this procedure?
• Do you have any patient testimonials?
• What is your scar protocol?
• What can I expect during recovery?
• Is there anything I need to do to prep before the procedure?
• Where do you perform the surgery?
• What are the risks and complications?
• Will my augmentation affect my ability to breastfeed?

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Here is a list from The American Society of Plastic Surgeons with more questions to ask during your consultation. 

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How long will the consultation last?

Typically, a consultation takes around an hour between the discussions, examinations, and patient photos.

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Is there anything I need to make sure my surgeon knows about me?

• Details about any allergies
• Disclose if you take any supplements and vitamins
• Make sure the practice has an emergency contact on file

After the Consultation:

The consultation isn’t the only time you can talk to your surgical team before your procedure. After your consultation, review your notes and make sure you asked all your questions. Feel free to call the practice if you forgot something, misunderstood something, or have a follow-up question. The team is there to make your surgery day as easy as possible! 

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I’m interested in planning a consultation for a breast augmentation — what are the next steps?

If you’re interested in starting your aesthetic transformation in Beverly Hills, Barrett Plastic Surgery offers consultations to determine what is correct for you. To learn more about Barrett Plastic Surgery, subscribe to our blog and follow us on social media at Tikok, Instagram, Realself, and YouTube for updates. Are you interested in fixing your capsular contracture? Call us at (310) 398-2648 or fill out this virtual consultation form, and we will contact you as soon as possible. We’re excited for you to take this next step!  

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