S05E105 - Navigating Patient Consultations for Cosmetic Surgery - Do’s and Don’ts

Plastic surgery demands as much psychological finesse as it does technical skill. In this candid conversation, four board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. Sam Jejurikar @samjejurikar, Dr. Salvatore Pacella @sandiegoplasticsurgeon, Dr. Lawrence Tong @yorkvilleplasticsurgery, and Dr. Sam Rhee @bergencosmetic —pull back the curtain on the complex art of patient consultation and selection.

The surgeons begin by sharing their approaches to the initial consultation, where they must quickly assess not just anatomical concerns but psychological readiness. They describe the delicate balance of listening to what patients want versus identifying what they actually need. As they note, patients often request "mini" procedures when more extensive work is required, or they misunderstand what certain surgeries can accomplish.

Listen as these experienced surgeons identify the red flags they've learned to recognize: patients fixated on imperceptible asymmetries, those bringing extensively edited photos of themselves, individuals undergoing surgery primarily to please partners, and those who've consulted with many previous surgeons. The conversation takes a fascinating turn when they discuss the "six-month flip"—patients who transition from excessive gratitude immediately post-surgery to hypercritical dissatisfaction around the half-year mark.

The doctors share stories of difficult decisions to decline operating on certain patients, despite the awkwardness these situations create. They agree that recognizing psychological warning signs early saves both patient disappointment and surgeon stress, though hindsight often reveals missed signals they wished they'd heeded.

Whether you're considering plastic surgery or simply fascinated by the psychology behind aesthetic medicine, this episode offers rare insight into how surgeons evaluate not just physical characteristics but psychological readiness for transformative procedures. Their collective wisdom reminds us that sometimes the most skilled surgical decision is knowing when not to operate at all.

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