Consultation checklist · AHPRA + ASPS sourced
10 questions to ask your plastic surgeon at consultation
The 10 questions every cosmetic surgery patient should ask at consultation in Australia, why each matters, and what good answers look like. Sourced from AHPRA Cosmetic Surgery Standard 2023 and ASPS patient guidance.
★Key takeaways
- ✓AHPRA Specialist Register status (FRACS) is non-negotiable - this is question 1.
- ✓Specific case volume in your procedure (100+ minimum, 500+ for higher complexity) predicts outcomes more than overall surgeon experience.
- ✓Itemised written quote (surgeon + anaesthetist + hospital + implants) is mandatory under AHPRA standards - any reluctance is a red flag.
- ✓Mandatory 7-day cooling-off period applies to all cosmetic procedures from September 2023 - no exceptions.
The questions
Each question, why it matters, and what a good answer looks like
Are you on the AHPRA Specialist Register as a Specialist Plastic Surgeon?
Why it matters
This is the single most important question. The AHPRA Specialist Register confirms FRACS (Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) qualification in plastic surgery - representing 12+ years of training including a 5-year RACS plastic surgery program. "Cosmetic surgeon" is NOT a recognised specialty in Australia. Anyone with a basic medical degree can call themselves a cosmetic surgeon after a short course.
A good answer
Yes, my AHPRA registration number is MEDxxxxxxx and I am on the Specialist Register under Plastic Surgery. You can verify this at ahpra.gov.au by searching my name.
Red flag answer
Vague answers, refusal to provide AHPRA number, claims of "plastic surgery training" without confirming Specialist Register status, references to qualifications from non-RACS bodies that sound similar but aren’t.
How many of this exact procedure have you performed?
Why it matters
Specific case volume in your procedure is the strongest predictor of outcomes. Generally aim for 100+ cases minimum, 500+ for higher complexity procedures (rhinoplasty, deep plane facelift, gender-affirming surgery). A surgeon who has performed 5 BBLs is not the right surgeon for your BBL, regardless of qualifications elsewhere.
A good answer
I have performed approximately 800 breast augmentations over 15 years. About 60-70 per year in recent years.
Red flag answer
Cannot provide a number, gives a clearly inflated answer (e.g. 5,000 rhinoplasties in 5 years - impossible), or evades by saying "lots".
What is your published complication rate and revision rate?
Why it matters
All surgery has complications. A surgeon willing to discuss their own complication rate transparently is dramatically more trustworthy than one who claims to never have problems. Compare to published norms: rhinoplasty revision rate 5-15%, breast augmentation reoperation rate 5-10% within 10 years, facelift hematoma rate 1-3%.
A good answer
My capsular contracture rate is around 2-3%, in line with international benchmarks. My augmentation revision rate at 5 years is approximately 8%. About half of revisions are size adjustment requests by the patient, the rest are clinical concerns.
Red flag answer
Claims of "zero complications", refusal to discuss, or vague reassurances without numbers.
Which hospital will my procedure be at and what is its accreditation?
Why it matters
Plastic surgery should be performed in National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) accredited hospitals with full medical and anaesthetic support, not in office-based theatres. Following the 2023 AHPRA reforms, all higher-risk cosmetic procedures must be performed in accredited facilities. Office-based theatres lack the emergency response, blood bank access, and intensive care backup of accredited hospitals.
A good answer
The procedure will be at St Vincent's Private Hospital - NSQHS accredited, full anaesthetic and ICU backup. I have admitting rights there and operate at that facility 4 days per week.
Red flag answer
Office-based theatre, day surgery facility without accreditation, or vague answers about "our facility".
What is the total cost in writing, with surgeon, anaesthetist and hospital itemised?
Why it matters
Australian surgeons must provide written informed financial consent under AHPRA standards. The quote must separate surgeon fee, anaesthetist fee, hospital fee, implants/consumables, and any out-of-pocket. Bundled "all-inclusive" pricing makes it impossible to compare or query items. Ask explicitly for itemised pricing - any reluctance is a red flag.
A good answer
Here is the written quote. Surgeon fee $7,500, anaesthetist $1,800, hospital $4,200, implants $2,800, total $16,300. No Medicare rebate applies. Your deposit secures the date.
Red flag answer
Refuses to itemise, gives only a single "all-in" figure, bundles fees with finance options to obscure the cash price, or quotes verbally only.
Will I have a mandatory 7-day cooling-off period before I can book?
Why it matters
Under the September 2023 Medical Board reforms, a mandatory 7-day cooling-off period applies between consultation and booking any cosmetic procedure. A surgeon who waives or skirts this is breaching regulation. The cooling-off period gives patients space to reconsider away from sales pressure - it exists because high-pressure tactics were endemic in the cosmetic surgery industry pre-2023.
A good answer
Yes - I cannot book your surgery within 7 days of this consultation. I encourage you to take time, prepare questions, and contact us when you are ready.
Red flag answer
Offers same-day booking, time-limited discounts that expire before the cooling-off period ends, or claims the cooling-off period "doesn’t apply" to their facility.
Will I see a GP for referral, and what happens if my mental health screening flags a concern?
Why it matters
GP referral and mental-health screening are mandatory under 2023 reforms. The GP must independently assess your motivations and mental wellbeing before referring you to a cosmetic surgeon. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) affects 5-15% of cosmetic surgery seekers and contraindicates surgery. A surgeon who tells you GP referral is "just a formality" is signalling they will operate even if the screening flags concerns.
A good answer
You need a GP referral before we can book any procedure. If the GP screening flags BDD or another mental health concern, we will defer surgery and recommend appropriate care. We can revisit when you are clear of those concerns.
Red flag answer
Refers you to a captive GP who rubber-stamps referrals, dismisses the screening as bureaucratic, or operates on patients despite documented mental health concerns.
What is your protocol if I have a complication?
Why it matters
Complications are not uncommon and how a surgeon handles them is the strongest indicator of their character and competence. A good answer demonstrates: 24/7 contactability for the first 6 weeks post-op, named on-call provider when away, willingness to admit you back to hospital if needed, and a clear process for managing rare complications.
A good answer
You will have my mobile number for the first 6 weeks. After that you can reach the clinic 24/7 - we have an on-call surgeon arrangement when I am away. If you have a complication, I will see you the same day or admit you to hospital. I do not charge for managing post-op complications.
Red flag answer
Hands off post-op care to nurses only, charges separately for complication management, has no after-hours contact, or claims complications "don’t happen here".
What is your revision policy if I am unhappy with the result?
Why it matters
Revision is sometimes needed - tip swelling resolves and reveals subtle asymmetry, capsular contracture develops, scar widens. A reasonable revision policy is: no charge for clinical concerns (asymmetry, capsular contracture, scar revision needs) in the first 12 months; reduced or at-cost charge for cosmetic preference changes (size, shape preference) at any time.
A good answer
For clinical concerns - capsular contracture, infection, wound issues - I revise at no charge for the first 12 months. For preference changes - "I want larger implants now" - revision is at reduced fee, you pay anaesthetist and hospital.
Red flag answer
No revision policy in writing, full price for any revision, or refusal to consider revision because "the result is fine".
Can I speak to one or two past patients who had this procedure?
Why it matters
Direct conversation with past patients gives you texture that no marketing material can. Surgeons cannot ethically share patient identities without consent, but most surgeons maintain a small group of past patients who have agreed to speak with prospective patients. If a surgeon has zero willing references, that is data.
A good answer
I will ask two past breast reduction patients if they are willing to take a call from you. I will need their consent first - I will message them after we meet today and let you know in a few days.
Red flag answer
Refuses outright, only directs you to online reviews (which are increasingly fake), or provides obviously coached/paid testimonial contacts.
Bonus question (use it)
"Can I see a case that didn’t go as planned, and what you did about it?"
A surgeon willing to walk you through a complication or a revision is dramatically more trustworthy than one who claims everything goes perfectly. This is the single most informative question you can ask. The answer (or refusal) tells you almost everything about how this surgeon handles adverse outcomes.
Sources
Where these questions come from
- • Medical Board of Australia - Cosmetic Surgery Practice Standards 2023
- • AHPRA - Code of Conduct for Doctors
- • Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons - patient guidance
- • Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Australia) Act 2009, particularly s133
- • Royal Australasian College of Surgeons - Plastic Surgery Specialty curriculum