Is a result realistic for you?

This page sits where a patient story used to. We do not publish patient stories - testimonials about regulated health services are prohibited under section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. See patient stories.

The question those stories are usually asked to answer is: could that happen for me? That is a fair question, and it has a real answer - but it comes from your own anatomy, not from someone else's photograph.

What actually determines your result

Your starting anatomy

This is the largest single factor and the one no technique overrides. Bone structure sets the frame of a face. Rib cage shape and chest width set what breast proportions look balanced. Where your body stores fat is largely genetic. A surgeon alters soft tissue; they do not redesign your skeleton.

Skin quality and elasticity

Skin that retracts well after volume is removed gives a smooth contour; skin with poor elasticity - from age, sun damage, pregnancy, significant weight loss or smoking - may be left loose. This is why liposuction alone suits some people and why others need a skin-excision procedure with a longer scar. A practitioner assessing this honestly may recommend a bigger operation than you hoped for, or none.

Age and tissue behaviour

Younger tissue heals faster and retracts better. Older tissue often produces finer scars. Neither is simply better.

Weight and weight stability

Being near a stable weight you can maintain matters more than a particular number. Body contouring is not weight loss - it reshapes, it does not reduce weight meaningfully. Significant weight change afterwards will alter the result. If you plan further weight loss or a pregnancy, waiting is usually the better decision.

Smoking

Nicotine constricts the small vessels that keep skin flaps alive. Smoking substantially increases the risk of wound breakdown, infection, poor scarring and, in procedures such as facelift and abdominoplasty, tissue death. Some procedures will not be offered to a current smoker. Vaping and nicotine replacement carry the same vascular effect.

Health, medications and healing

Diabetes, autoimmune disease, clotting disorders, blood thinners, previous radiotherapy and prior surgery in the area all change what is safe and what is achievable. Bring a complete list of medications and supplements - several over-the-counter supplements increase bleeding.

Genetics of scarring

Some people scar thickly regardless of technique. If you or your family form keloid or hypertrophic scars, say so before you decide, not afterwards.

What no procedure can do

Make you look like someone else - a photograph of another person's face is a useful way to show a preference, not a target
Stop ageing, or hold a result permanently
Produce perfect symmetry - no one is symmetrical, and asymmetry present beforehand is usually still visible afterwards
Remove a scar; scar treatments improve appearance, they do not erase
Fix cellulite reliably
Change how you feel about yourself, if that feeling is not really about the feature

That last one matters. Where distress is driven by a mental-health condition rather than by appearance, surgery generally does not relieve it and can make it worse. This is why psychological screening, including for body dysmorphic disorder, is mandatory before cosmetic surgery in Australia. It is not a hurdle - it exists because outcomes are measurably worse when it is skipped.

How to find out what is realistic for you

At consultation, ask directly: "What would you realistically expect for me, and what is the less-good end of that range?" Then ask to see before and after images of patients matched to your starting point - same procedure, similar anatomy, similar skin. A gallery of unmatched cases tells you nothing. See how to read a before and after gallery.

Ask what would need to change for a better result - weight, smoking, a staged approach, waiting. And ask whether a different procedure would suit your anatomy better than the one you came in asking for.

When the honest answer is no

Sometimes what a person wants is not achievable from their starting point, or the risk is not justified by the gain, or the timing is wrong. A practitioner who says so is doing their job. If you have been told no and want another view, a second opinion from an appropriately qualified practitioner is sensible - but treat a clinic that says yes to everything with caution rather than relief.

Me Clinic, 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145. Phone 1300 852 050 or (03) 9569 3511. Consultations as at September 2024, including GST: Specialist Plastic Surgeon $350, Cosmetic Doctor $150.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Individual results may vary.