Question: I’m very interested in getting a facelift. I think I’m going to be very self-conscious and embarrassed waking out afterwards with my face and head all bandaged up. Do you have a back entrance for people like me so I can escape without too much unwanted attention? Is it a private entrance or do I have to go through a lobby of people?
Answer: Many practices have developed strategies to help patients maintain privacy while having plastic surgery. This can include private entrances, specialized waiting areas, and mindful scheduling of patients. Discussion with the surgeon, nurse, or office manager is a good way to express concerns about privacy and a plan to protect it. That being said, one should also consider his/her reasons for feeling “embarrassed” about being seen. Is it guilt over being perceived as “vain”? Is it self-consciousness about how one looks post-operatively (dressings, bruises, swelling, incisions, etc.)? Or is it simply a desire for privacy? Patients should be reminded that having plastic surgery is nothing to be embarrassed about. It is very common and widely accepted in today’s society. Most patients in the plastic surgeon’s office are there for the same reason: to look their best and feel better about their image. The office staff is used to seeing people at their worst and then later their best!