Are pre-op visits a standard-of-care for facelifts?

The preoperative protocols will vary from patient and from physicians. You will see below that many doctors require preoperative medical evaluation with lots of bloodowork and other testing due to anesthesia requirements. So no, there is no set protocol, however, the anesthesia requirements are usually fixed and hospitals also have requirements. At least one visit is required beforehand, so the doctor can examine you and you both come up with an appropriate plan- now depending if you do not have any medical concerns, if your doctor does your procedure under local anesthesia (which I do all my facelifts under local anesthesia, so unless my patient has any underlying medical issues, I do not need any bloodwork, testing or anesthesia clearance, I also do not do my surgeries in the hospital so I do not have any of those unnecessary requirements)- and you both have decided on an appropriate plan of action, then usually an additional preoperative visit is not required. If its been a long time (more than 2-3 weeks from the appointment to the surgery date), then I always encourage my patients to come in for another visit to review the procedure, post op care, prescriptions and consent forms, otherwise I give all my patients the option of a phone call appointment and my clinical staff review all instructions as well.If you have any concerns, then call the office and ask for an in-person visit to review your procedure. You should have your peace-of-mind. 

Every surgeon works a little
differently. I personally like to meet with my patients during every visit to
our office. This allows me to make my own evaluations and provide what I feel
is the best care for my patients. I go over pre-op and post-op instructions
during a preoperative visit, which is usually 1-2 weeks before the procedure.
This is an important decision in my patients’ lives, and I do my best to
approach it that way. I believe in repetition and preparation, especially with
the amount of information each patient receives. I like for my patients to hear
the same information multiple times (as well as in writing) so that when the
day of the procedure arrives, they are at least familiar with each step of the
process, including what to expect during the procedure and recovery. I also go
through pictures of patients of mine who have had the same procedures and show
what the recovery will typically look like. I find that when patients go
through each step of the process and they have already been prepared for it, it
makes their recovery easier. It helps limit any surprises. The most important
piece of information that my patients get is my personal cell phone number for
24/7 VIP access to me … there are no silly questions or times that are
off-limit.

Thanks for your question.

Although preop consults vary from practice to practice, we
recommend a preop visit in order to review medical history, review your
procedure, and answer specific questions.
We also go over postop instructions at that time. I wish you the best of luck.

Sorry Dina for all the anxiety you are experiencing.I would consider mandatory to meet your plastic surgeon weeks in advance of your booked surgical facelift day.In Toronto, I meet my patients twice, go over their concerns, options, take photos and measurements, discuss risks and complications, give them forms for blood work and ECG, pre and post-op instructions, etc. etc. etc.I would really insist in meeting your surgeon or consider meeting 1-2 other plastic surgeons to see how comfortable you are with him/her and the clinic.Hope this helps!

Best regards,Dr. Marc DuPere, Toronto Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon

Different surgeons use different protocols, but I think it is important that all bases are covered.  You should feel your questions and health concerns are being completely addressed.  In my practice, a preoperative visit is mandatory to fully discuss the procedure and make sure you are ready to go.  

In my practice every surgery patient has a pre-op visit    It is an opportunity to answer any questions, review all pre-op, post op instruction, give rx for the patient, we do any necessary lab work, ekg   and sign consent forms.  Good Luck

Hello!  Thank you for your question!  Such appointments will vary with each surgeon.  I feel that these are very important and use this time to give pre/postop instructions, risks/benefits, prescriptions/medications, as well as go over again the goals and surgical plan.  If you feel that you have additional questions, concerns or need additional information, I would recommend making sure that you see your surgeon prio to your surgical date.  Best wishes!

I don't understand how a patient would submit to a facelift without a preoperative consultation with the surgeon. This establishes the aesthetic goals. It also allows the patient to obtain some level of comfort with the surgeon.

Either in person or virtual (for out of town or out of country patients) preoperative visit is essential in my practice to make sure the patients is fully prepared and informed about the process, the patient and I are on the same page and the nurses spent 45 minutes to an hour with the patients going over the critical instructions. We make sure that the patients receive their prescription in advance so that the the family members or caregivers will not be running around last minute to get the prescriptions filled. What you have experienced is unusual. Most of us who specialize in rejuvenation surgery adhere to what I have outlined.

Hopefully during your initial consultation (if you know exactly what you want and congruent with the PS), all the potential medical requirements/problems are clarified and planned (pre-op labs/medical clearance), pictures are taken, risk/benefit/expectations discussed, literature/instructions/scripts given.  Essentially you are good to go.  You can see if the above is not complete, then you may need another appointment. Call it whatever you want: pre-op, pre-surgical meeting, Q&A session...  You'll probably meet the surgeon the day of the procedure immediately "before" the surgery, that can be called a "pre-op".