What to Expect

Conferring with the Surgeon of Your Choice

When scheduling your consultation, we understand that time is of the essence. If there are specific time constraints, please inform the scheduler. We may be able to offer you a vacancy created by patient rescheduling. Most patients who are willing to work with us can see our doctor within a reasonable time frame. For peace of mind, you should know that Dr. Metzinger is an award-winning plastic surgeon and has become internationally recognized for his work in cosmetic plastic surgery.

In selecting your physician a variety of circumstances come into play. It is important to remember that plastic surgery is a field comprised of a number of subspecialties and that any given surgeon's practice may include one or more areas of expertise. This basic but often misunderstood fact is one of the factors which make our practice unique. In many cases both facial and body procedures are performed at the same time, thereby reducing costs and surgery time. The important thing to remember is this: after your visit(s) to the office (and when you are scheduled for surgery) you should feel comfortable with Dr. Metzinger and our staff. And you should feel free to inquire about the roles of assisting personnel.

During the Consultation Visit, we will discuss your desires, examine the condition you wish to have corrected, and give you an opinion of what we feel can be accomplished. A set of medical photographs is taken so that we can study them and record the preoperative state of the condition in question. In some cases, it may be necessary to obtain additional studies (x-rays, mammograms, laboratory work, etc.) or consultations with other medical specialists, usually two weeks prior to surgery.

Patients who have time schedules to meet (getting back to work, school, conventions, etc.) or those wishing to have the surgery as soon as possible should let us know so that we can reserve a period in our surgery schedule and arrange hospital or surgery center accommodations for them. In some cases, a tentative surgery date may be reserved by phone when the Consultation appointment is made. If you are located far from our Clinic, Dr. Metzinger actually prefers that prospective patients send photographs prior to the Consultation Visit, which depict the facial and/or bodily features they wish to have corrected. The doctor can analyze those photographs and conduct telephone interviews prior to the face-to-face consultation. This too shortens waiting times and often avoids unnecessary travel.

At the time of your visit, we can complete the medical history, necessary paperwork, and any special instructions in preparation for your surgery. A thorough Consultation Visit takes time, so plan to be at the office for at least one hour. At the conclusion of your visit, we may prescribe preoperative medications and give you some additional instructions in preparation for your operation. It has been our experience that much of the anxiety that patients often experience in regards to having surgery is relieved following this visit.

Consultation Fees

Special knowledge and skill are necessary to reach a well-based opinion on whether or not a plastic surgery operation is possible or is indicated. Some patients seem to feel that because they are not physically ill, they are "shopping" for a commodity, rather than consulting a medical specialist for a professional opinion. The Consultation visit should provide you with a great deal of information about your particular problem even if surgery is not recommended. The patient must realize that even though (s) he may receive a negative reply to a request for surgery it requires preparation time, skill, judgment, and years of experience on the part of the consulting physician to arrive at this conclusion. The patient, in fact, is purchasing the time and advice of the surgeon as they do with their accountant or attorney. The fee for the Consultation visit varies depending upon the complexity of the patient's specific problem and the amount of time required for evaluation.

Scheduling your Surgery

Following your Consultation visit, if it is mutually agreed that surgery is indicated, we will reserve a time on our surgical schedule for you. If you wish to reserve a specific surgery date and time, we require a $750 surgery booking fee. This fee is deducted from the total cost of your procedure. Please keep in mind that if you need to cancel surgery, cancellations must be done at least two weeks prior to your scheduled surgery date. Otherwise, your surgery booking fee is retained as a cancellation fee. It is helpful for you to have some general idea about your future plans prior to coming for your Consultation Visit. We encourage you to bring your calendar or schedule of events to the office. If your schedule is limited due to work, social events, or school, or if you live far away from the office, we frequently make tentative surgery reservations over the phone when patients call for their consultation appointment. We will make every attempt to coordinate our schedule with your wishes. Unavoidably, schedules can change, yours and ours, but please notify us immediately if a problem arises which might necessitate rescheduling. We pledge to do likewise.