Your Consultation with a Breast Surgeon: What You Can Expect

Meeting with a breast surgeon is an important step if you’re considering breast surgery, whether for an augmentation, reduction, or a lift. Knowing what to expect and how to prepare can make the process feel a little less daunting and more reassuring. In this blog, we’ve put together a guide to help you navigate your consultation with your breast surgeon.

A consultation with a qualified and experienced surgeon, such as Specialist Plastic Surgeon and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr Fraser-Kirk, will provide you with thorough, personalised advice. When you’re ready to book your consultation for your chosen breast surgery, you are welcome to contact our team to organise a consultation with Dr Fraser-Kirk on the Sunshine Coast.

The importance of your initial consultation

The purpose of your first consultation is to discuss your personal expectations for your chosen breast procedure. After discussing your needs, Dr Fraser-Kirk can then provide you with personalised advice, allowing you to explore the options available to you and to understand the different types of breast procedures available.

Our first tip for navigating the consultation process is to come prepared with a list of questions and any concerns you might have. Making sure that you get the information you need and ask the right questions can help you feel properly informed about what is involved with your type of breast procedure.

What your surgeon will need to discuss during your consultation

As well as gaining a clear understanding of your expectations and needs, Dr Fraser-Kirk will need to assess your health, including any current and past health conditions.

He will need to ask you questions about your medical history, including any previous surgeries, medical conditions, allergies, and medications you’re taking. Your surgeon needs this information about your general health to assess your suitability for breast surgery and ensure that the steps of the procedure can be tailored to your needs.

We recommend gathering information about your current health and health history before your consultation so that you don’t forget anything important. You should put together a list of any medications, gather any details of past surgeries, and provide any other details about health conditions you may have.

Assessing the condition of your breasts

Conducting an assessment to examine the current condition of your breasts will be the next important step during your consultation.

An assessment typically involves examining your breasts to determine their size, shape, skin quality, and the position of your nipples. Dr Fraser-Kirk may also take measurements and photographs to use when planning your surgery.

Assessing the condition of your breasts while considering your personal goals will help him get a good idea of what can realistically be achieved with surgery and recommend the most suitable type of breast procedure.

Discussing your breast surgery options

Depending on your expectations and needs, you may want to undergo a breast augmentation, breast reduction, breast lift, breast reconstruction, or a combination of procedures. Understanding the different types of breast surgery will be a key part of your first consultation, as you may find that another type of breast surgery may be more suited to your needs than the type of procedure you were originally interested in.

For breast augmentation with breast implants, you’ll generally discuss the types of breast implants available, including different shapes, materials, placements and sizes. Dr Fraser-Kirk will also explain the different incision sites and placement options for the implants, such as underneath the breast tissue or under the chest muscle. Each option has its pros and cons, and he will help you decide what may be most suitable for you.

If you’re considering a breast reduction or lift, he will explain the techniques used to remove excess skin and tissue and to lift the breasts. You can discuss where the incisions will be made, the level of reduction or lift that can be achieved, and what kind of scars you can expect.

With a particular interest in breast reconstruction, Dr Fraser-Kirk can explain the different techniques available and the type of results that the procedure can achieve. As well as a Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Dr Fraser-Kirk is also a qualified Reconstructive Surgeon and has performed many breast reconstruction procedures.

Before your consultation, doing some research about the different types of breast procedures can help you prepare, but meeting with your surgeon for personalised recommendations will ultimately give you a clearer idea of your options.

Providing personalised recovery steps

For any type of breast procedure, recovery is another important topic to cover during your consultation.

After discussing the details of a personalised breast surgery plan, Dr Fraser-Kirk can explain more about what to expect during the recovery period, including how long it will take to heal, when you can return to work, and how long you’ll need to avoid certain activities, such as strenuous exercise. Understanding the recovery process can help you plan your time off work and arrange for any help you might need at home. He will also provide you with recovery instructions so that you can get a good understanding of what will be required after your surgery.

Being able to follow recovery instructions after surgery is often considered when your surgeon is assessing your suitability for surgery, so we recommend familiarising yourself with what can be involved during breast surgery recovery and deciding if you are willing to follow the important instructions ahead of time.

Outlining the possible risks associated with your breast surgery

All types of surgeries, including breast surgery, can be associated with some potential risks – even when they are performed with advanced techniques.

Your surgeon will explain the common risks, such as infection, bleeding, changes in nipple sensation, and scarring, as well as any specific risks related to your medical history or the procedure you’re considering. He can also explain how these risks can be minimised, and the steps you can take to help reduce your personal risk level.

You should ask any questions you have about the potential complications of your procedure, voice any concerns, and ensure that you feel fully informed about the risks that may be involved with undergoing your surgery.

Calculating the costs of your breast procedure

Your consultation will also include a discussion about the costs of your surgery, particularly considering the personalised details of your procedure.

The total costs of any surgery typically include the surgeon’s fees, anaesthesia fees, and hospital fees, such as operating room costs. However, costs will vary from patient to patient, as any breast procedure, whether it’s an augmentation, reduction, lift, or reconstruction, will need to be significantly personalised to meet your individual needs.

For some procedures, such as a breast reduction or breast reconstruction, certain patients may meet the eligibility criteria for a partial Medicare rebate or private health insurance cover. Eligibility will require that the procedure is considered to be medically necessary, such as to reduce significant pain or discomfort. Dr Fraser-Kirk will be able to provide you with more information and discuss if your procedure may be medically necessary during your consultation.

Specialist Plastic Surgeon and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr Fraser-Kirk

Based on the Sunshine Coast, experienced Specialist Plastic Surgeon and Reconstructive Surgeon Dr Fraser-Kirk can perform a variety of breast procedures to a high standard.

With the essential qualifications, training and experience, he can carefully assess your individual circumstances and needs to recommend a breast procedure that meets your expectations.

To book your consultation for breast surgery and discuss your options in further detail, please contact our team!