Procedures

No, a referral to see specialist plastic surgeon Dr Chang isn’t needed but is strongly encouraged. A referral from your GP or specialist may mean part of your consultation fee is rebatable from Medicare for non-cosmetic appointments. All cosmetic consultations require a GP referral due to new government regulations.

Patient consults are either 30 or 60 minutes. For skin cancers or shorter, more straightforward procedures, consultations are 30 minutes. For all cosmetic and aesthetic surgery consultations/otoplasty/complex reconstructive procedures, the consultation is 60 minutes.

This depends on the surgical procedure you’ve chosen. For procedures such as small skin cancer excisions, this can take place in the procedure room within the consultation suite if requested at the time of booking or scheduled for a convenient time at a later date.

For cosmetic procedures, consultations involve discussing your concerns and assessing your suitability based on this and the outcome of a psychological questionnaire. Photos are also taken, and patients often take home an informative diagram/procedure information pamphlet.

A second consultation can be booked immediately or later after you’ve had more time to think things through. A second consultation, typically 2-4 weeks later, is a Medical Board requirement. During this consultation, if you choose to go ahead, you’ll need to complete a surgical consent form.

New regulations from the Australian Medical Board require patients of plastic surgeons undertaking a cosmetic surgery consultation to complete a 15-minute psychological screening questionnaire beforehand to screen for potential psychological/psychiatric illnesses that may impact your ability to undergo surgery, such as body dysmorphic disorder.

All of our medical data is saved in encrypted medical servers that require a two-step security login to access. We never publicise patient information for marketing purposes.

Yes, we understand that some patients may prefer women for certain procedures. You can request an all-female theatre team alongside your female specialist plastic surgeon, Dr Ling-Yun Alice Chang. You can also ask for an all-female pre and post-care team.

No. We don’t offer payment/finance options to plastic surgery patients. We have never done this as it doesn’t align with our clinic ethos. New Medical Board regulations now also prohibit it.

If you cannot afford a reconstructive procedure you need, we strongly encourage you to seek treatment through the public hospital system. For cosmetic procedures, we suggest you return when you’re financially able, including having sufficient funds to cover possible complications or further admissions.

We’ll advise you on how best to prepare for your surgery during your initial consultations. We recommend that you maintain a healthy lifestyle, quit smoking and ensure you have a support system in place for your recovery.

We’ll advise you on how best to assist your recovery. As a general guideline, we recommend you take the pain medication provided, rest, drink plenty of fluids, and eat a high-fibre diet. Call us immediately if you experience fever, excessive sweating, bleeding, severe pain or vomiting, increasing pain or difficulty with dressings.