Role of Telemedicine and Cosmetic Surgery

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in the use of telemedicine and teleconferencing, profoundly impacting various medical fields, including cosmetic plastic surgery. The primary advantage of telemedicine in this field is that it enables patients to have their consultations and longer-term follow-ups remotely, eliminating the need to physically visit the surgeon’s office. This is particularly beneficial for individuals living far from the office, as well as for those facing scheduling conflicts or household responsibilities that make office visits challenging.

Surgeons often prefer patients to email their completed information sheets and photographs of the concerned area from the front and side views. This approach offers several benefits: the quality of emailed photos is generally superior to that of video calls, which can vary in quality even within the same platform. Additionally, emailed photos can be easily integrated into the patient’s electronic chart for future reference, allowing surgeons to review them before the video consultation.

Personal interaction between the surgeon and the patient remains crucial, with surgeons preferring to meet patients in person before surgery. This meeting might occur as late as the afternoon before the procedure. Necessary pre-operative discussions and arrangements, including blood tests, can be efficiently handled via video conferencing and email.

Post-operative follow-ups may also be conducted through video conferencing and email, depending on the type of surgery. However, certain early follow-ups, such as those after a tummy tuck, are essential to be conducted in person. Surgeons need to check for potential complications like seromas around specific post-operative days. Similarly, follow-ups for procedures like gynecomastia and breast reductions, which involve possible drain removal, and checks for hematomas or seromas in facelifts, are typically conducted in person, though there is flexibility in scheduling these appointments.

The convenience of video conferencing is particularly advantageous for patients residing out of town. It allows them to easily consult with the surgeon to determine their suitability for specific procedures, saving time and expenses associated with travel. This technology also minimizes the duration of their stay in the city where the surgery is performed, further enhancing convenience and reducing costs.