The consultation is not a "sales presentation" as some people have speculated. It is an interactive learning experience, where the patient is learning about the many options in the procedure and how they relate to her, and learning about the plastic surgeon too. The plastic surgeon is getting to know the patient better to help her make the decisions that best fit her situation and goals, so that the objectives can be safely met.
When evaluating the expense of a consultation, it helps to put into perspective how much would one spend for two hours with a hairdresser, or at a spa, or for a plumber or a lawyer or an electrician?
Some surgeons make the consultation free, and just increase the surgery fee to cover the expenses of the consult. The problem with that method is that for those patients who decide not to go ahead with surgery, the costs of their consultation end up being paid for ultimately by the other patients, an unfair approach. In general, the surgeons who charge a consultation fee tend to spend more time with their patients than those who don't. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.
Most plastic surgeons who are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery do charge for the consultation, but then will have deducted that fee in calculating the surgery fee. That is the most fair and equitable method.
It is worth mentioning that the American Board of Plastic Surgery, as well as the professional Plastic Surgery Societies, do not permit their members to give away a surgery or a consultation as a prize in any contest, raffle, or promotion. Therefore, if you come across such a contest, that alerts you to the fact that the surgeon is not certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and in fact may never have even taken Plastic Surgery training.
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