Many people think about having cosmetic surgery for years before their first trip to a plastic surgeon’s office.
At The Williams Center, we understand this, as well as the nervousness associated with it, and we pride ourselves on patients having a fantastic experience in their consultation. The consultation is an opportunity for you to ask questions about the procedure, its probable outcome and risks, as well as those about practical matters, such as cost.
We also understand and encourage patients to get opinions from several surgeons prior to making their final decision, and for this reason we strive to leave no question unanswered.
We take pride in expressing our philosophy of cosmetic surgery, as well as our approach and what sets it apart from others.
A consultation is a two-way street in which we learn about you and you learn about us. Perhaps most importantly, it is an educational experience during which we can explain what is possible to achieve with plastic surgery, as well as its limitations. By the end of a typical hour-long consultation, our goal is to have helped you to decide if cosmetic surgery is the right option for you.
How a Plastic Surgery Consultation Works at The Williams Center
A consultation typically starts with a quick check-in at the front office. At this time you may fill out some papers, or turn them in if you received paperwork in the mail prior to your consultation.
You will then be taken to an exam room where you will meet with one of our patient coordinators and discuss your areas of concern. You will also meet with one of our nurses, who will take a standardized set of photographs.
Next, you will meet with the plastic surgeon. At this time we will talk in-depth about your concerns and the motivations of why you are considering plastic surgery. We will also discuss your goals of surgery and your ultimate vision of how you wish to look and feel after surgery.
Once we have this information as a benchmark, we will discuss different options, both surgical and nonsurgical, that can help you achieve your goals. We will discuss the expected results of surgery, what is involved before, during, and after surgery, the types of anesthesia that are available for each procedure, and the risks of surgery.
We will then bring you to the photo room, where we will demonstrate our expected result of surgery using state of the art image-morphing software. You can then watch a short video of one of our actual patients who has gone through a similar procedure, and they can help explain what it feels like to go through cosmetic surgery and how they feel after a full recovery. Finally, one of our patient coordinators will work through the different prices and financing options of procedures.
By the end of your consultation, you should have all the information you need to make the right decision for you. You can schedule your procedure at this time, or take some time to consider your options. We will provide you with our contact information to answer any lingering questions or concerns.
Sometimes people like to schedule a second consultation to solidify the plan or discuss other concerns, and this is never a bad option. Ultimately we want to help you look and feel fantastic on the outside and inside, and we are committed to help you get there.
About the Author: Dr. Edwin Williams
Dr. Edwin Williams is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who founded The Williams Center in 1993. He has performed over 10,000 facial plastic surgery procedures and has pioneered the deep plane facelift. He served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery for over a decade, and served as President from 2015-2016. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Dr. Williams earned the Castle Connelly Top Doctors award in New York Facial Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Edwin F. Williams III attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982. He began medical school at the State University of Buffalo School of Medicine and received his Doctor of Medicine in 1986.
Dr. Williams is actively involved in teaching facial plastic and reconstruction surgery to the residents of the Albany Medical Center and is former Chief of the Section of Facial and Plastic Reconstruction Surgery at Albany Medical Center where he received an academic appointment of Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery.