Your Consultation Checklist

The short answer: Bring clarity to your consult

Aim for a consultation where you can:
- Understand what the procedure is (and what it is not)
- Confirm who will do your care and where it will happen
- Learn estimated cash-pay costs and the likely next steps
- Ask about risks, recovery expectations, and follow-up—so there are no surprises

If anything feels unclear, you can ask again—or choose not to proceed. Your comfort matters, and individual results vary.

A simple details checklist you can copy

Use the items below as a guide. You can take notes during the appointment.

1. Verify credentials (your safety step)
- Ask if the surgeon is board-certified in plastic surgery and confirm their credentials yourself.
- Confirm the facility is accredited for the type of procedure planned.

2. Understand the procedure in plain language
- Ask what the procedure involves in everyday terms.
- Ask what choices affect the final look (for example: technique options, incision approach, anesthesia plan).

3. Review costs clearly (cash-pay, estimated amounts)
- Ask for a written estimate and what it includes (commonly surgeon fee, facility fee, anesthesia fee—varies by case).
- If you want to compare, see procedure costs and what they can include.

4. Talk about risks and recovery (no guarantees)
- Ask about common risks and how complications are handled.
- Ask what recovery typically looks like (time off work, limits, follow-up visits).

5. Discuss expectations honestly
- Share your goals and ask how they translate into an approach.
- Remember: no one can promise identical outcomes. Results are honest and individual results vary.

6. Confirm next steps
- Ask about timing, consent steps, and any pre-visit requirements (the surgeon should explain what they need from you).
- If you are still comparing options, you may want to get matched with board-certified plastic surgeons and then choose who to consult.

What to do next: choose the right questions and the right match

Start with these next steps:
1. Decide what you want to learn from the consult (cost, technique, recovery, credentials).
2. Write down your questions before you go.
3. Use how to choose a board-certified plastic surgeon to double-check credentials and facility accreditation.
4. If you want help finding qualified, board-certified options for cosmetic, elective procedures, consider using a free matching service like get matched.

Contour Edits is a FREE matching service that connects people with board-certified plastic surgeons for cash-pay cosmetic, elective procedures. We are not a clinic or a medical provider, and we do not perform procedures or give medical advice. You compare and choose who to consult.