The consultation
The cornerstone of a successful plastic surgery operation is the consultation.
Valuable information can be obtained about plastic surgery by reading material
published in the media or in books of this type. Reading can provide a general
background, but the actual meeting with the plastic surgeon who will perform
the operation is extremely important to the success of the operation. All
the assessments described in this section, including the psychological factors
mentioned earlier, must be made by the surgeon who is to perform the operation.
It is vital that the patient’s expectations are realistic, as only a well-trained
plastic surgeon is able to assess the conditions that determine what type
of result can be expected. Great care should also be taken to describe how
the operation will be carried out and what the patient should expect afterwards.
It is equally important for the patient to have a definite idea of the results
he or she wants to achieve with the operation and to express these expectations
clearly.
The probable results should be described to the patient as accurately and
completely as possible. This can be difficult, since there is always a measure
of uncertainty in such a description. However, some tools which make it easier
to describe the projected result have been developed recently. One example
is computer simulation (morphing) with digital photographs. The patient’s
picture is taken with a digital camera, and the picture on the screen can
then be altered in various ways with a computer program. There are several
different programs specially designed for this purpose. In a profile pic-
