What to Expect at a Plastic Surgery Consultation

A consultation is an examination and an assessment, not a sales meeting. By the end of a first visit a patient should know what is anatomically possible, what the procedure would involve, what recovery looks like, and what it costs. If those four questions are not answered clearly, the consultation has not done its job. The visit is where the decision is informed, which is why it carries more weight than its length suggests.

What to understand

• The consultation is an evaluation of what the anatomy allows, not a pitch.
• Dr. Azadgoli begins by asking what bothers the patient, in the patient's own words, before she examines.
• An honest assessment includes saying when a procedure is not recommended.
• Recovery and cost are addressed at the consultation, not after a decision is made.
• The visit is most useful when the patient comes prepared.

The visit starts with the patient's concern

Dr. Beina Azadgoli begins a consultation by asking what the patient wants addressed, described in the patient's own words, before she examines anything. The reason is practical. What a patient sees in the mirror and what a surgeon sees on examination are not always the same problem, and the plan only works when those two views are matched at the start. A patient who can say plainly what bothers them gives the surgeon the information needed to judge whether the goal and the anatomy line up.

The examination

After the concern is clear, the examination is specific to the procedure being considered. For facial surgery that means skin quality and thickness, the underlying structure, and any signs of prior surgery. For the nose it includes breathing and the internal airway, not only the external shape. For the eyelids it includes lid position, tear film, and how completely the eyes close. Standardized photographs are usually taken, and a full medical history is reviewed because health conditions and medications affect both candidacy and recovery. The examination is what turns a general request into a specific surgical plan, or into a clear reason that surgery is not the right answer.

An honest assessment

The output of the visit is a direct statement of what is achievable. That includes what can be done in one stage, what would take more than one, what falls outside what surgery can reliably change, and what alternatives exist, including nonsurgical options or no procedure at all. Dr. Azadgoli will say when she does not recommend an operation. A consultation that only confirms what a patient hoped to hear is not an assessment, and an honest answer given before surgery is more useful than an optimistic one corrected afterward.

Recovery is planned at the consultation

How a patient recovers is largely shaped before the operation. Medical optimization, a review of medications and supplements that affect bleeding, nicotine cessation, realistic expectations calibrated to the patient's own anatomy, and the logistics of the first week are all set at the consultation rather than the morning of surgery. This is deliberate. The recovery program at The Practice is introduced before the procedure so the patient is not assembling support during the week they should be healing.

Cost and coverage are addressed before anything is scheduled

Consultations at The Practice are complimentary. For reconstructive or medically necessary procedures, the advocacy team verifies insurance benefits and provides a written estimate of potential out-of-pocket cost before a date is set. For cosmetic procedures, which are generally not covered by insurance, the patient receives a clear written estimate. The financial picture is part of the consultation, not a separate conversation that happens after a decision has already been made.

How to prepare

The visit is more useful when the patient arrives ready:

• Write down the specific concerns in your own words before the appointment.
• Bring a complete list of medications and supplements, including over-the-counter and herbal products.
• Bring prior operative reports and imaging if there has been surgery in the same area.
• Note your timeline and any events you are planning recovery around.
• Bring your questions written down, and a second person if a second set of ears would help.

Aftercare and recovery planning

Because recovery is planned at the consultation, a patient leaves the first visit with more than a surgical plan. General guidance is reviewed, including head elevation, activity limits, nicotine cessation, and the expected swelling and scar timeline for the specific procedure, so normal healing is recognized rather than mistaken for a problem. The coordinated recovery program, including lymphatic massage, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, IV therapy the day after surgery, and medical-grade scar protocols, is described on the recovery program page and arranged before the procedure rather than after.

Common questions

Is the consultation really complimentary?

Yes. Consultations at The Practice are complimentary, including the examination and the assessment of what is achievable.

Will I be pressured to schedule?

No. The purpose of the visit is an honest assessment, which includes recommending against a procedure when that is the right answer. The decision is the patient's and is meant to be made with full information.

Should I bring photos of results I like?

It can help. Reference images give the surgeon a clearer sense of the patient's goal, which is then assessed against what the patient's own anatomy allows.

The consultation is where the decision becomes an informed one. Used as an evaluation rather than a formality, it answers what is possible, what it involves, how recovery works, and what it costs, before anything is scheduled. The Practice Healthcare is located at 436 N. Bedford Dr. Suite 103, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, and consultations are complimentary.