Read FAQs about Facial Plastic Surgery in Baltimore, MD, near Washington, DC and Northern Virginia

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Several important factors come into play when deciding whether plastic surgery is the right option for you.  One of the most important factors is your health.  Being in good physical health greatly reduces the risk of complications during surgery and leads to a faster recovery.  Meanwhile, possessing stable emotions and a positive mindset allows you to endure the transformative process until your outcome is maximized.  Next, you need to ask yourself what your motivations are.  People who have plastic surgery generally find that the surgery can enhance their overall appearance and self-esteem, but it is important to realize that the appearance of your body or any one body part neither defines you as a whole person nor does it define your abilities to achieve success or happiness in your life,  career, or personal relationships.  Thirdly, you should have realistic expectations and be accepting of the risks associated with plastic surgery.  Plastic surgery is both a science and an art, neither of which are perfect or guaranteeable.  Because of the limitations of medicine and surgery, and those of the human body, not all goals are possible, nor can they be rendered with absolutely zero risks.  Plastic surgery can yield enhancements for most physical issues, but it cannot “fix” every situation or achieve absolute perfection.  A procedure that is good for one person may not be an appropriate procedure for another, and a plastic surgical change that may have been possible for one person may not be possible for you.  Set reasonable goals for the result you wish to achieve and be prepared to discuss and potentially adjust these goals during your initial consultation.

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A consultation consists of a professional evaluation and discussion of potential treatment options and their feasibilities.  During your consultation we will review your medical and personal history, discuss your current concerns and potential solutions and expectations for addressing those concerns, perform a comprehensive exam, and make a custom-tailored assessment as to whether the procedure(s) in question are right for you.  We will attempt to determine your goals for a procedure, possibly with the aid of photos and/or computer imaging, and will discuss feasibilities, alternatives, risks, and perspectives surrounding a decision to proceed with a surgery.  The consultation is a good time to ask specific questions about the procedure so that you are fully prepared, mentally and emotionally, for surgery.  After your consultation, assuming consensus goals for a treatment can be reached during your consultation, additional feasibility analyses are typically performed (especially in revision cases) to assess or maximize the chances of success from surgery.  Please note that consultations are not guarantees of treatment, treatment plans, or surgical price estimates, but are investigations into your candidacy for potential treatments.  The consultation is an opportunity to  determine whether you and your situation have the qualities conducive to successful outcomes from surgery and whether you and the surgeon can work well together.

The time rates for consultation at Baltimore-Washington Facial Plastic Surgery range from $50 to $75 per half hour, depending on the complexity of the procedure(s) being planned.  The length of a consultation depends on the type and number of procedure(s) requested as well as the complexity of your situation and history, ranging from one half hour for minor cosmetic requests to three hours or more for more complex, revision, or multiple-procedure surgeries.  The consultation fee supports the specialized staff, technology, building space, and utilities that make your consultation possible.  If you have questions regarding the consultative process, please contact our office.  

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Baltimore-Washington Facial Plastic Surgery and its staff are fully committed to maximizing results for its patients.  As in any medical practice, individuals wishing to be patients at Baltimore- Washington Facial Plastic Surgery are expected to remain compliant with their care instructions and follow-up schedules, maintain good rapport with their surgeon or caretaker, and maintain continuity of their care within the practice.  Patients must exhibit realistic expectations by understanding that there are limitations and risks to plastic surgery.  Plastic surgery is a process that occasionally involves setbacks or delays, and patients must maintain a positive attitude, patience, perseverance, and trust regarding treatment plans if they wish to maximize outcome from their procedures.  Patients must also understand that enhancements or revisions of initial work, which carry associated costs, may occasionally be necessary to maximize or maintain their results.  Keeping a good relationship with your caretaker allows for the best possible care.  As in any place of work, our practice cannot care for or interact with any individual who poses a security threat.

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Costs for cosmetic surgery involve surgical fees and facility fees.  These fees defray the expenses related to labor, equipment, products, supplies, building space, utilities, and taxes that are paid in advance by our practice and by the facilty to make procedures possible.  Fees range widely based on length of the surgery, the level of complexity and customization of the procedure(s), and the type of anesthesia and facility.  Because cosmetic surgery is elective and not deemed necessary for health reasons, health insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery of any sort.  Therefore, patients considering cosmetic surgery should have disposable self-pay funds available to cover the costs of surgery as well as the costs of any possible subsequent treatments and travel.  Fees can vary depending on inflation, surgical and facility rate changes, and expenses for supplies and products.  Payments made toward plastic surgery and consults are nonrefundable, and BWFPS encourages responsible spending when seeking cosmetic/elective surgery.  In other words, funds used for your basic house, grocery, utility, or transportation bills should not be used for cosmetic surgery, and patients undergoing the process of elective or cosmetic surgery should have appropriate employment or financial reserve. 

 

Some insurance providers will cover costs for reconstructive or medically indicated surgery.  For example, insurance providers will often pay for eyelid surgery to remove sagging skin that blocks vision or nose surgery to allow for a patient to breathe better.  If your surgery is covered by insurance, pre-certification is required.  While BWFPS is not a participant with any health insurance carrier, we will be happy to assist with the process of obtaining partial coverage of your surgery when applicable. 

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In the overwhelming majority of patients undergoing facial plastic surgery procedures, significant improvements toward desired goals occur such that patients will decline further procedures.  In a small percentage of patients, enhancements or revisions may be necessary to approach the desired results more closely.  In even rarer situations, success from a treatment (where success is defined subjectively as the patient being satisfied) can be highly elusive or not possible.  Unfortunately, no guarantees or promises can be made regarding results after facial plastic surgery.  The same is true for all fields of medicine.  The reasons are because medicine and surgery are not exact sciences, because there are limitations to what can be achieved in medicine and surgery, because significant anatomic variations exist between individual patients, because every patient responds differently to surgery both physically and emotionally, and because every patient has different expectations and perceptions.  Since the results from surgery cannot be guaranteed, the monies paid toward a  treatment cannot entitle a patient to obtaining desired results or preclude a patient from obtaining unwanted results.  Of course, Baltimore-Washington Facial Plastic Surgery is fully committed to helping patients realize the best possible medical outcome for their situation. 

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All surgical procedures are accompanied by a certain degree of risk, whether the procedures are for medical or cosmetic reasons.  The risks associated with plastic surgery primarily consist of physical cosmetic or functional results that you might consider unwanted or falling short of expectations.  In other words, you may not like the way the body part(s) might look or work after undergoing surgery.  Examples of these physical risks include, but are not limited to, the following: bruising or bleeding; inflammation and swelling; scar; visible or palpable irregularities, asymmetries, or shortcomings; unwanted sensations or pains near or at the operative sites; dysfunction or deformities; injury to structures in the area; failure of results over time; anesthetic risks; etc.  While the chances of attaining undesired outcomes are small, they still exist, and there is a risk that you may have to undergo additional procedures or treatments if you wish to maximize results.  In addition to the physical risks, there are also emotional, personal, professional, and financial risks associated with facial plastic surgery.

We carefully review your medical/personal history and current health condition before deciding if it is safe for you to proceed with surgery.  It is important that you fully disclose all information requested by your doctor so that your doctor can accurately assess the risks involved. Depending on the type of surgery and the complexity of your case, your risks might be higher or lower than that of the average patient.  Procedures with high risk and low benefit may be impractical or not feasible to perform and are not recommended.  During your consultative process, your surgeon educates you on the risks specific to your surgical processes.  Significant planning to reduce risk factors is undertaken prior to committing to any treatment, and Baltimore-Washington Facial Plastic Surgery is dedicated to maximizing your outcome.

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Significant improvements can be realized through revision surgery, assuming the desired changes are substantial.  However, revision surgeries are different from primary (first-time) surgeries in that they are typically more difficult to plan, perform, and follow-up.  A body part that has undergone prior surgery does not have normal virgin anatomy, and the scar and prior alterations to the area in question can make surgical dissection tedious and the navigation of the altered anatomy tricky, necessitating more time and efforts.  If you are a revision patient, the feasibility analysis and planning for your revision surgery involve much more investigation into what was previously performed in the last surgery(ies) and for what reasons and also into your emotions regarding perceived deficits in your current appearance and your expectations as to what might be possible from another procedure.  Furthermore, the performance of your revision surgery requires more dedicated, specialized surgical techniques.  Due to the considerable complexity of revision procedures and because previously operated tissues can behave in manners that defy explanation in current medicine, it is even more important that you have reasonable expectations of improvement (and not perfection) for your procedures.  You should also mentally prepare yourself for longer processes of evaluation/treatment and possible re-treatment if you wish to maximize your outcome.  At times, these processes can be frustrating and test the patience of both you and your doctor alike.  Once outcome is maximized, especially if you have had multiple prior procedures, you may need to accept that the limitations of plastic surgery may be nearing and adjust your expectations accordingly.  Your doctor will help you understand whether it is feasible to pursue more treatments and whether the benefits of doing so outweigh the risks.

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After you have undergone an in-person comprehensive evaluation, and after you and your surgeon have come to an agreement regarding the desired goals and feasibilities of a potential surgery, you can schedule a surgery by calling our office.  Do not schedule unless you are certain you will proceed with surgery.  A scheduling fee/deposit, which credits toward your total surgical cost, is required to schedule and reserve a surgical slot and to mobilize the resources needed to make your surgical date possible.  The surgery scheduling fee/deposit is nonrefundable within seven weeks of your surgery.  The balance of the surgical fee is typically due 7-10 days prior to surgery and is nonrefundable.  Upon scheduling your surgery, you will be scheduled for a preoperative office visit typically 7 to 14 days before your surgery.  During this visit, we will reanalyze your face, review your treatment plans, provide perioperative instructions, perform perioperative protocols, and discuss any further concerns you may have.  Feel free to bring a list of questions.  Your surgery would then take place in the next week or two, either in our in-office procedure rooms, or at Northwest Hospital, our hospital affiliate.  Every effort is made to ensure that your surgical process runs smoothly, from the initial visit, to the preoperative planning, to the surgery itself, and to follow-up visits or treatments.

 

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It is relatively common for patients to request multiple procedures during one operation.  Undergoing multiple procedures can allow for more dramatic changes in overall appearance if you are indeed seeking such changes.  In addition, having several procedures done simultaneously saves you the expense of paying the operating room and anesthesia costs more than once.  However, having too much done at one time can lead to complications.  The decision to have multiple procedures done depends on which procedures are being done, the extent of surgery, the operating time, and your age/health.  Ultimately, the surgeon decides whether or not it is appropriate to include more than one procedure in your operation.

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People of all ages, adult and pediatric, have taken advantage of the image-enhancement offered by plastic surgery.  Due to the variety of procedures available in plastic surgery, there is no blanket rule on age, although age is taken into consideration when planning your operation.  Older patients may require require routine medical clearance from their primary care physician as part of the preoperative evaluation.  If you are  under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian is required during office visits to discuss and legally consent for your procedure.  If you are a young adult patient (18 or older) who would be relying on a parent or financier to fund your surgery, you should have your parent or financier involved during the consultation and planning portions of the procedure so that both you and your financier can understand how financial considerations in plastic surgery affect surgical decision-making for your case.

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You will be under anesthesia during your operation so there will be no pain during the operation.  In the days (or weeks) following the operation, you may experience some discomfort which can be effectively treated with oral medication. Patients differ widely in their pain thresholds and sensitivities.  The grand majority of patients have no complaints of pain after full recovery, but some patients can potentially have mild long-term hypersensitivitiies. 

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The type of anesthesia used for facial plastic surgery varies with each procedure.  For some procedures, only local anesthesia or local anesthesia with intravenous (IV) sedation is needed.  This method will allow you to be awake, but insensitive to any pain.  In more complex procedures, general anesthesia is needed and you will be asleep during the entire procedure.  The anesthesia used in your operation will depend on the type and extent of the procedure(s), your age, and the surgeon’s preference.

General anesthesia is increasingly safe over the last century, being one of the safest areas of health care today with a very low incidence of adverse outcome.  We obtain a detailed medical history from you and seek appropriate medical clearance prior to agreeing to perform any general anesthetic procedure.  Further discussion with your anesthesiolgist prior to surgery is made as well.  The anesthesiologist is a medical doctor working in tandem with certified nurse anesthetists and anesthesia technicians.  Our hospital affiliate is Northwest Hospital in Randallstown, Maryland, which performs the highest volume of cosmetic surgeries in Maryland and also deals with complex medical patients. 

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The length of short- and long-term recovery varies with each procedure and for each individual.  Minimally invasive or minor procedures involve very little recovery or downtime, whereas more complex or revision procedures have a longer recovery.  Postoperative instructions typically call for rest and limited movement in order to speed up the healing process and recovery time.  Bruises usually disappear within a few days, and most acute swelling resolves in a matter of weeks.  If you follow post-operative instructions carefully, you will likely enjoy your normal activities within a relatively short time.  Scars will fade over time but are permanent.  We take care to conceal any scars so that they are barely visible, if at all.  The image-enhancing effects of plastic surgery become more evident over time with certain procedures taking a year or more for the body to fully adjust and settle into its new look, during which time long-term recovery can involve a prolonged period where residual swelling subsides and scar maturation occurs.  During your consultation and preoperative visits, we discuss your expected recovery period and any post-operative instructions in detail.

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Following up after facial plastic surgery is an important continuation of the surgical process and is just as important as the pre-surgical planning and the surgery itself.  Patients undergoing surgery must attend mandatory postoperative evaluations and/or treatments to remain compliant with their care and to maximize outcome.  The purpose of follow-up visits is to allow the doctor to continue his job by allowing him to assess and treat your body’s reaction to a procedure (which varies for each individual) and to gather physical exam data, which when used over multiple visits provides information needed to maximize your results or guide the course of your ongoing care.  During the more acute healing phase, your doctor will perform necessary office treatments (suture and crust removal) and assess that your transformation is progressing well from a medical standpoint (monitoring the health of tissues and avoiding inappropriate fluid collections, infection, etc.).  During the later healing phases, your doctor assesses residual swelling and may apply treatments to encourage faster resolution of swelling, possibly through judicious use of medications and injections.

Follow-up schedules vary per the type or complexity of procedure.  Minimally invasive procedures filler, botulinum typically require only one visit 3-4 weeks after an initial treatment to assess their effect, after which follow-up for repeat treatments is not typically necessary.  Minor office surgical procedures (otoplasty, blepharoplasty) require 2, sometimes 3, visits over a 3-6 month period.  Meanwhile major surgical treatments (facelift, browlift, rhinoplasty, revision rhinoplasty) usually involve 2 postoperative visits in the first 3 weeks after surgery, followed by 2-4 more visits spaced 2-6 months apart over the full length of time needed for swelling to fully resolve, depending on the procedure (6-12 months in face/neck/brow lifting, 18 months or more in primary rhinoplasty, and 18-30 months or more in revision rhinoplasty).  Compliance with your follow-up appointments and care is a requisite for you to benefit from reduced-fee rates for future enhancements or revisions offered through our practice.

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All surgeries are associated with postoperative swelling and scar maturation, which can make the operated body part appear even twice as large as it might appear after all swelling has subsided.  Therefore, your appearance immediately after splint or dressing removal is simply the appearance at the beginning of swelling resolution and not the long-term result.  Typically, patients can be presentable socially and at work 1-2 weeks after surgery, with the knowledge that most lay observers will not know that residual swelling still persists or even know that a change has occurred unless you inform them.  Swelling decreases rapidly in the first few weeks to months and then slowly ebbs to full resolution after months to years.  It is important not to make a judgement on appearance or plan any further major aesthetic treatment in the area until resolution of swelling is near completion.  Full swelling resolution is highly variable in every patient and every procedure.  The following are average ranges of full resolution of swelling in various procedures, although each individual patient may experience resolution much faster or slower than the average range: 1-3 months in otoplasty, 3-6 months in blepharoplasty, 6-12 months in face/neck/brow lifting, 18 months or more in primary rhinoplasty, and 18-30 months or more in revision rhinoplasty.  

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All fields of medicine and surgery, including cosmetic surgery, involve the process of evaluation and treatment, followed by re-evaluation and possible re-treatment.  The procedures and treatments provided at Baltimore-Washington Facial Plastic Surgery are offered if they historically and reliably provide improvements for nearly all patients, such that satisfaction rates are high among these patients.  A small percentage of patients may be less satisfied and may request additional treatments.  For patient and doctor alike, the prospect of considering more treatment can be frustrating, especially when there can be no guarantee regarding how the human body responds to a treatment.  In such cases, after all swelling has subsided (see above question regarding length of swelling), and after it is determined how your body responds to prior treatments, we gladly offer the opportunity to discuss further care in cases where possibly more improvements can be made,  Because revision cases can be more challenging than primary surgeries, any surgical attempts to enhance or further customize your appearance after a prior surgery are discussed and planned just as seriously as the previous surgery.  Medical diagnosis and advice cannot be provided without an in-office visit, and an in-office Goal-setting and Feasibility Analysis session can be scheduled to explore future treatment options and to determine whether the benefit-to-risk ratios for undergoing these treatments are favorable.  Similar to initial consultations, goal setting/feasibility analysis sessions are not guarantees of treatment or treatment plans, but are investigations into your candidacy for potential treatments.  The costs for goal-setting/feasibility analysis sessions and for revision surgery are conditionally rebated to a significant degree for existing patients in our practice.  We are committed to helping you realize the best medical outcome for your case.

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Baltimore-Washington Facial Plastic Surgery serves many patients who travel from afar for their care.  Those wishing to travel must be prepared for the travel costs and the time required for mandatory in-office evaluations, treatments, and follow-up, as well as unexpected visits or changes in plans (medical diagnosis and treatment cannot be provided without an in-office evaluation).  If you do not have the financial resources or the time to be involved in a long-distance surgical process, then it is best not to start the process of surgery, and it is always advised that you seek care closer to you if equivalent care is available in your area.  For patients wishing to understand the logistics behind a long-distance surgical process, an educational teleconference can be arranged to discuss what commitment might be involved in their care.  

For more information related to travelers, please visit the Hotels & Amenities and Maps & Directions section of this website.  Patients who are traveling by air are strongly recommended to purchase refundable fares or travel insurance in the event of inclement weather or unexpected cancellations or schedule changes. International patients are also fully responsible for costs related to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates between their country's currency and the U.S. Dollar, which can affect surgical cost, travel costs, or any financial exchange in our practice or in the United States.