Changes to AHPRA Cosmetic Surgery Regulations, as of July 1 2023, Learn More

First Consultation with a Surgeon

Initial Consultation with a Plastic Surgeon at Coco Ruby Plastic

At your initial appointment with your Surgeon you will typically:

  • Spend time with your Surgeon and Nurse/Patient Coordinator
  • Have your photos taken
  • Have a physical examination by the surgeon
  • See photos of past patient results
  • Find out more about your potential surgical options
  • Receive detailed information about your potential surgery
  • Go through the possible complications and risks of surgery
  • Find out about surgery pricing and available dates
  • Ask any other questions you may have

Please allow up to one and a half hours for your initial appointment

It is now a requirement to obtain a referral from your General Practitioner (GP) before scheduling an appointment with a Plastic Surgeon.

Our Surgeons believe it is very important to establish a strong relationship with you prior to any surgery. You will spend time with both your Surgeon and Patient Care Coordinator/Nurse at your first consultation appointment.

We strongly recommended you bring a supportive friend or relative along to your consultation to help you think about all the information and discuss your surgical options.

If you decide to proceed with surgery, a second consultation is required for customisation and planning purposes, as well as to review the surgery details, schedules, risks and consent forms and photographs and to answer any further questions you may have. There is no charge for the second consultation.

Once you have completed the necessary consultations with your Surgeon and their team, there is a mandatory 7-day cooling-off period before you can proceed to book your surgery date. This cooling-off period is designed to give you ample time to carefully consider your decision and ensure that you are fully prepared for the surgery.

By adhering to this cooling-off period, you can proceed to surgery knowing that you have taken the necessary time to consider all aspects of the procedure and that your decision is based on careful thought and consideration.

Quote

Following your consultation you will be provided with a detailed quote which will include a breakdown of all costs; Surgeons Fees, Anaesthetists fees, Hospital fees, implants and medical garments (if applicable), pathology costs and any other incidental costs.

The quotation will outline all the essential costs and expenditures linked to your procedure, guaranteeing you will have an understanding of all costs involved prior to your surgery. If you decide to proceed with surgery, a deposit payment of $1000.00 is required to secure a date for surgery.

Surgeon Consultation FAQs

How much time should I allow? What if my Surgeon is running late?

  • It is best to allow extra time for your appointment as medical settings may have some unpredictability about timing.
  • Allow at least 90 minutes for your appointment.
  • We apologise in advance if our Surgeon is running slightly behind schedule on the day you attend.
  • They usually run on time but occasionally – working in health care – there may be a slight delay.  We have a relaxing reception area and free coffee and chocolates, so simply allow an extra bit of time just in case.
  • Remember, however, that parking on the street is 2-hour parking (free) before you’ll want to move your car.
  • Parking on-site in our parking lot is unlimited so long as you’re attending our Clinic at the time.

Do I need a GP (or specialist) Referral to make an appointment?

  • You are required to have a referral to see one of our surgeons
  • This may allow you to claim a small rebate (around $70) on the cost of your first consultation back from Medicare.
  • If your surgery is covered by Medicare or private Health insurance, you will need a valid Medicare referral at the time of surgery in order to claim.
  • Please note that a General Practitioner (GP) referral has a validity of 12 months before expiring and a specialist referral only has a 3-month validity.

How soon can I get a Consultation?

  • Our specialist Plastic Surgeons are always busy. It helps to plan ahead and to try not to change an existing appointment time. We can usually arrange your consultation within two weeks.
  • Occasionally schedules will be more difficult and have longer waiting periods, for example, when our Surgeons present at international conferences such as ASAPS (Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) or ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons)

How do I schedule a Surgeon Consultation or Surgery?

  • Last-minute consultations are sometimes available as some patients may need to reschedule at short notice.
  • Sometimes surgery can also be arranged in a short period of time after the mandatory cooling off period.
  • It’s usually best to plan for your surgery so you can arrange time off from your normal activities so you can rest, recover and heal properly.

How Much Does a Surgeon Consultation Cost?

  • Your initial Consultation Booking Fee with a Specialist Surgeon is usually $300 ($600 for a consult with Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon).
  • Your booking fee is paid ahead of your appointment and will secure your consultation date.
  • You can pay by phone by calling us to affirm payment or book an appointment time.
  • We have online payment methods if necessary.

Breast Surgery Consultation Checklist

Things you should do BEFORE you meet with your Plastic Surgeon to discuss breast surgery.

  • List a quick summary of the words/terms and techniques about breast surgery you DO know about (read the guide) and make a list of which ones you want more information on.
  • Review our blogs about measurements and proportions and skin resiliency, and how they impact your results from surgery.
  • Look at Before and After photos.
    • Pay careful attention to just how similar you actually ARE – or ARE NOT – to the BEFORE photo.
    • Pay particular attention to issues such as; nipple distance, breast base width, skin folding or under-breast crease, upper pole curves (the upper half of your breast), whether or not your breasts are tuberous and more.
  • Read about the necessity of potential future implant surgery and what to expect during surgery planning, markups, recovery and healing and scars.
  • Consider what pregnancy will do to your body and breasts; if you are considering having children, concern waiting until after having your children.
  • Check in with yourself and assess if you are okay with the potential risks and need for future surgery, which has a price and costs.
  • Understand that while breast surgery may interfere with breastfeeding for some women, and some women can’t even breastfeed if they never had implants or other breast surgery. Any surgery on the breasts may impact your breastfeeding. While many women who have implants in place DO successfully breastfeed, there’s no guarantee.

Why choose Coco Ruby Plastic Surgery?

Choosing a Specialist Plastic Surgeon means you are choosing an accredited recognised plastic surgeon that performs surgery in an accredited hospital. Look for members of FRACS (Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) memberships. ASPS (Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons) ASAPS (Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) or ISAPS (International Society Aesthetic Plastic Surgery) as some of the Qualifications of your Plastic Surgeon

Dr Craig Rubinstein
Dr Broughton Snell
Dr Stephen Kleid
Dr Gary Kode

Specialist Plastic Surgeon MED0001124843 Dr Craig Rubinstein

Dr Craig Rubinstein is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon based in Hawthorn East, Melbourne. With over 20 years of surgical experience especially in all areas of Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, but particularly in breast surgery. These include Breast Augmentation and Breast Reduction as well as Breast Surgery Revision.

Furthermore, he believes that surgical customisation, precision planning and technical expertise help him to provide optimal surgical outcomes for his patients.

Specialist Plastic Surgeon MED0001190266 Dr Broughton Snell

Dr Broughton Snell is a Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. His training in Plastic Surgery took place in Australia and the United States of America (USA).

Dr Snell is a fully qualified specialist plastic surgeon having completed his Fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in plastic and reconstructive surgery. He has also spent time following the completion of this qualification gaining further experience and training in the area of craniomaxillofacial surgery, training which he completed in world-renowned centres here and in the United States.

ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Surgeon MED0001052799 Dr Stephen Kleid

Dr Stephen Kleid is an experienced Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon (Otolaryngologist) based in Melbourne with a passion for Septo-rhinoplasty, Septoplasty, as well as, a strong interest in Rhinoplasty Revision.

Dr Kleid trained at Melbourne University, then completed surgical training at various hospitals including Royal Melbourne, Royal Children’s, The Eye and Ear and St Vincents. He worked as a surgeon at the University of Florida Medical school for further experience.

Specialist Plastic Surgeon MED0001405964 Dr Gary Kode

Dr Gary Kode is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon, with experience in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, as well as non-surgical treatments.

Dr Kode is a member of several organisations, including the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), The International Confederation for Plastic and Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, and he holds a Fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

What to do next?

Our Patient Liaison Team can assist with any questions you may have when considering a procedure. You can send in an enquiry form below or call our Melbourne Clinic between 9 am – 5 pm Monday - Friday.

Disclaimer: Results depend on individual patient circumstances and can vary significantly. Results may also be impacted by a variety of factors including your lifestyle, weight, nutritional intake and overall health. Consult your Specialist Plastic Surgeon for details. This information is general in nature and is not intended to be medical advice nor does it constitute a doctor-patient relationship. Surgery risks and complications will be covered in detail during a consultation with your Surgeon.

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