Facelift Consultation in Sydney – What to Expect
Dr Scott J Turner is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) practising in Bondi Junction, Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, with over a decade of experience dedicated exclusively to facial aesthetic surgery. At FacePlus Aesthetics, every facelift consultation is conducted personally by Dr Turner — not a patient coordinator or representative — so your questions are answered directly by the surgeon who will perform your procedure.
Deciding to explore facelift surgery is a considered step, and the consultation process exists to provide you with the time, clinical assessment, and straightforward information needed to make a genuinely informed decision. Dr Turner’s approach is simple: listen carefully, assess your facial anatomy in detail, and provide honest guidance about what surgery can and cannot achieve for your specific situation. There is no sales pressure involved — the consultation is about education and understanding.
Why a Specialist Facelift Consultation Matters
Facelift surgery addresses complex anatomical structures — skin, subcutaneous fat, the SMAS layer, retaining ligaments, and deeper fascial planes — and each patient presents with a unique combination of ageing patterns, tissue quality, and structural characteristics. A thorough consultation with a qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon is essential for several reasons.
Accurate facial assessment requires evaluating ageing across multiple zones simultaneously. The midface, jawline, neck, periorbital region, brow, and lips all age interdependently, and addressing one area without considering the others can produce imbalanced outcomes. During consultation, Dr Turner examines how these regions interact in your particular anatomy and determines which facelift technique — whether deep plane, SMAS, short scar, or the comprehensive Vertical Restore Facelift — is most appropriate for your concerns and goals.
Your medical history also plays a critical role in surgical safety. Cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, bleeding disorders, autoimmune disease, and medications including supplements all influence surgical planning and anaesthesia decisions. A consultation that rushes past this assessment compromises patient safety.
Finally, the consultation establishes realistic expectations. Facelift surgery can achieve significant improvements in facial contour and definition, but it cannot stop the ageing process entirely, and outcomes vary between individuals. Understanding what is achievable — and what is not — before committing to surgery is fundamental to patient satisfaction.
What Happens During Your First Consultation
Your first appointment at Dr Turner’s Bondi Junction clinic marks the beginning of the surgical planning process. This appointment typically lasts 45 minutes to an hour and covers several important areas.
Discussing Your Concerns and Goals
The conversation begins with listening. Dr Turner will ask about what specifically concerns you about facial ageing, how long you have been considering surgery, and what you hope to achieve. He will also ask about any previous treatments or procedures you have had and about your expectations. This discussion ensures that if surgery proceeds, the surgical plan addresses what matters most to you rather than following a generic template.
Comprehensive Medical History Review
Your medical background is carefully reviewed to confirm that surgery can be performed safely. Dr Turner will ask about current and past medical conditions — particularly cardiovascular disease, diabetes, bleeding disorders, and autoimmune conditions — along with previous surgeries, current medications and supplements, known allergies, and your smoking history. Smoking and vaping must cease entirely for a minimum of six weeks before and after surgery, as nicotine significantly impairs tissue healing and increases complication risk.
Detailed Facial Analysis
Dr Turner will examine your face systematically, assessing bone structure and skeletal framework, skin quality including thickness, elasticity, and any sun damage, volume loss patterns across the temples, cheeks, and periorbital region, brow position and its contribution to upper facial ageing, eyelid skin excess and fat changes, midface descent including cheek flattening and nasolabial fold depth, jawline definition and jowl formation, neck skin laxity, muscle banding, fat accumulation, and submandibular gland prominence, as well as natural facial asymmetries that may influence surgical planning.
This comprehensive analysis determines which anatomical zones require attention and which surgical approach will produce the most appropriate correction for your individual anatomy.
Surgical Recommendations and Treatment Planning
Based on the assessment findings, Dr Turner will explain the specific ageing patterns present in your face and recommend a tailored surgical approach. He will discuss which facelift technique best addresses your concerns and whether complementary procedures — such as brow lift, upper or lower blepharoplasty, neck lift, facial fat grafting, or lip lift — would enhance the overall outcome. The reasons behind each recommendation, what the surgery can realistically achieve, and what the recovery process involves are all discussed in detail.
Clinical Photography
With your consent, standardised clinical photographs are taken from multiple angles. These images remain strictly confidential within your medical record and serve as documentation for surgical planning, intraoperative reference, and objective post-operative comparison.
Your Questions
There is always dedicated time for questions. Dr Turner encourages you to ask about anything — surgical techniques, expected outcomes, recovery timelines, potential risks, scarring, costs, his experience and qualifications, or anything else on your mind. No question is considered too small or trivial.
Cost Information
You will receive a detailed written quote that outlines the surgeon’s fees, anaesthetist’s fees, hospital fees, and any post-operative supplies or garments. Facelift surgery is generally not covered by Medicare or private health insurance, though any applicable item numbers will be included in your quote for reference.
The Second Consultation — Confirming Your Surgical Plan
Dr Turner requires a minimum of two separate consultations before any facelift surgery proceeds. This is not merely administrative policy — it ensures you have adequate time to consider the information discussed, formulate additional questions, and arrive at a decision you are genuinely comfortable with.
The second appointment, scheduled at least seven days after the first, focuses on addressing any questions or concerns that have arisen since your initial meeting. Dr Turner will confirm the agreed surgical plan, review specific details regarding incision placement, anaesthesia approach, and hospital arrangements, and discuss the potential risks and complications of your specific procedure comprehensively.
Pre-operative requirements are also covered during this consultation, including any medical clearances needed, medication adjustments, and smoking cessation confirmation. Only after both consultations — when Dr Turner is satisfied that you fully understand the procedure and are making an informed decision with realistic expectations — is surgery scheduled.
There is never any pressure to proceed. If you need additional time or decide surgery is not right for you at this stage, that is entirely acceptable.
After Your Consultations — The Mandatory Waiting Period
Following your second consultation, a minimum seven-day waiting period is required before surgery can be booked. This mandatory cooling-off period provides time to reflect on everything discussed without pressure, research facelift surgery further if desired, discuss the decision with family members or trusted advisors, and confirm that you are ready to commit to the surgical process and recovery involved.
Once the waiting period has passed and you have decided to proceed, surgery is scheduled at a mutually convenient time. You will receive detailed pre-operative instructions, any required medical clearances will be arranged, and pre-operative photographs are taken closer to your surgery date. Payment arrangements are also finalised during this period.
For patients travelling from outside Sydney, Dr Turner’s practice offers specific guidance for out-of-town patients to assist with accommodation and logistics planning around your surgery dates.
Preparing for Your Facelift Consultation in Sydney
Arriving well-prepared for your consultation helps ensure the appointment is as productive as possible. Consider bringing a list of your current medications, vitamins, and supplements, including dosages. Have details of any previous facial treatments, injectables, or surgical procedures available, along with relevant medical history documentation if you have complex health conditions. Bringing a list of specific questions you want answered is also helpful, and having a clear idea of what concerns you most about your facial appearance allows Dr Turner to focus the discussion on your priorities.
You are welcome to bring a partner, family member, or friend to your consultation. Having another person present can be helpful for discussing the information afterwards and for emotional support during the decision-making process.
Choosing the Right Facelift Surgeon in Sydney
Selecting a facelift surgeon is one of the most important decisions in the entire process. When evaluating surgeons, seek a Specialist Plastic Surgeon holding FRACS credentials who concentrates specifically on facial aesthetic surgery rather than general plastic surgery. Verify that the surgeon performs procedures in fully accredited hospital facilities with qualified anaesthetic support and conducts all consultations personally rather than delegating to patient coordinators.
Ask to review before-and-after photographs of previous patients to assess whether the surgeon’s aesthetic approach aligns with your preferences. During your consultation, the surgeon should explain the procedure clearly, discuss the limitations as well as the potential benefits, and establish realistic expectations without making guarantees.
Dr Turner’s exclusive focus on facial plastic surgery, combined with his practice at FacePlus Aesthetics in Bondi Junction, provides the specialised expertise required for optimal facelift outcomes. To arrange a consultation, please contact our practice.
