Walking after surgery: why the first days matter
Short, frequent walks from the first day, and what to leave until later (sample).
See where the scar goes before you decide
Linden Row Clinic (sample) is a small plastic surgery clinic in Springfield for the face, breast and body. Every procedure starts with two consultations, fourteen days to think, and the surgeon showing you where the scar will be and how long it is.
Patient coordinator
First consultation
$150, 60 min
Typical scar length, drawn to scale (sample)
Centimetres, 0 to 35. Your surgeon draws your own plan.
Typical scar
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Liposuction
0.3 to 0.5 cm a port, two to six ports, in skin creases near the area treated
Scar drawn to scale: 0.3 to 0.5 cm a port, two to six ports, in skin creases near the area treated
Nose reshaping
0.5 cm, open technique only, across the skin between the nostrils
Scar drawn to scale: 0.5 cm, open technique only, across the skin between the nostrils
Upper eyelid surgery
3 to 3.5 cm each eyelid, in the crease of the upper lid
Scar drawn to scale: 3 to 3.5 cm each eyelid, in the crease of the upper lid
Ear correction
3 to 4 cm each ear, in the fold behind the ear
Scar drawn to scale: 3 to 4 cm each ear, in the fold behind the ear
Breast augmentation
4 to 5 cm each side, in the fold under the breast
Scar drawn to scale: 4 to 5 cm each side, in the fold under the breast
Facelift
15 to 20 cm each side, in front of the ear and into the hairline
Scar drawn to scale: 15 to 20 cm each side, in front of the ear and into the hairline
Tummy tuck
25 to 35 cm, and round the navel, low across the abdomen, under the underwear line
Scar drawn to scale: 25 to 35 cm, and round the navel, low across the abdomen, under the underwear line
Violet dashed line: the typical scar, to scale
Pale violet: how much longer it can be
Green underline: it sits in a natural crease, fold or hairline
Two consultations and fourteen days
No one leaves a first consultation with a surgery date. This is the path every patient takes, in this order.
Bring someone with you if you like, and a list of questions. The surgeon also tells you when surgery is not the right answer.
1
First consultation
Sixty minutes with the surgeon who would operate: what you would like to change, your health, an examination, and what is and is not possible for you.
2
Fourteen days to think
You take home a written plan, the risks in plain words and the full cost. Nothing is booked until at least fourteen days have passed.
3
Second consultation
Your questions, measurements and, if you decide to go ahead, the consent form, signed with the surgeon.
4
Pre-operative check
A nurse appointment a week or two before: blood pressure, blood tests if needed, medicines, and clinical photos for your record.
5
Surgery day
The surgeon marks the plan on your skin with you awake and standing, then the anaesthetist takes over. Most people go home the same day or the next.
6
Follow-up
A nurse at one week, the surgeon at six weeks and again at six months (sample). The recovery line is there in between.
Procedures, and where the scar sits
What each operation involves, where the scar usually goes, how long most people take off a desk job, and an example price.
Extra skin, and sometimes fat, taken from the upper or lower lids. Usually under local anaesthetic, home the same day.
Scar
In the upper lid crease, or just under the lower lashes
Desk work
About 1 week
From
$3,200
The deeper tissues of the lower face and neck lifted and the skin redraped. General anaesthetic, one night in.
Scar
In front of the ear and into the hairline
Desk work
2 to 3 weeks
From
$11,500
The bone and cartilage reshaped to change the size or profile of the nose, or to help breathing.
Scar
Inside the nose, or 0.5 cm between the nostrils
Desk work
1 to 2 weeks
From
$6,500
Enlargement with implants, uplift, or reduction, each with its own scar pattern.
Scar
In the fold under the breast, or around the areola
Desk work
1 to 2 weeks
From
$6,900
Loose skin and fat removed from the lower abdomen and the muscles tightened, often after pregnancy or weight loss.
Scar
Low across the abdomen, and round the navel
Desk work
2 to 4 weeks
From
$8,900
Fat that does not shift with diet and exercise removed through a thin tube. Not a way to lose weight.
Scar
Small ports in skin creases
Desk work
About 1 week
From
$3,800
Example prices, including the surgeon, the anaesthetist, the hospital and aftercare. Your written quote follows the first consultation.
Who looks after you
The surgeon you meet at the first consultation is the one who operates and who sees you afterwards. Nobody hands you on.
Your surgeon
A plastic surgeon on the specialist register (sample). Ask to see their registration and how often they do your procedure.
The anaesthetist
A consultant anaesthetist meets you before surgery and stays with you throughout.
Where you are treated
The day surgery unit at Riverside Hospital, Springfield (sample), with an overnight ward and intensive care on site.
Photos
We do not show before-and-after photos on this site. At consultation the surgeon shows photos shared with consent and explains how much results differ between people.
When we say no
- Anyone under 18
- When the change you want is not one surgery can safely make
- When your health means the risk is too high, or should wait
- When you feel rushed or under pressure from someone else
Recovery, procedure by procedure
How long until most people are back at a desk, driving and exercising. Plan the time off before you book.
Procedure
Back to desk work
Driving
Exercise
Eyelid surgery
1 week
After 1 week
Gentle after 2 weeks
Nose reshaping
1 to 2 weeks
After 1 week
After 6 weeks
Breast augmentation
1 to 2 weeks
After 2 weeks
After 6 weeks
Liposuction
About 1 week
After 1 week
After 4 weeks
Facelift
2 to 3 weeks
After 2 weeks
After 6 weeks
Tummy tuck
2 to 4 weeks
After 3 to 4 weeks
After 8 weeks
Typical times (sample). Your surgeon tells you what applies to you; heavy lifting and manual work usually take longer.
Had surgery with us and worried about something? The recovery line, (555) 018-4499, is answered by a nurse 24 hours a day for our patients (sample). For heavy bleeding or trouble breathing, call 911.
- Swelling and bruising are normal and fade over weeks
- Scars stay pink for months and pale over a year or more
- Compression garments are worn for four to six weeks after body surgery
What a fee includes
One written price after the first consultation, covering everything from the day of surgery to the last follow-up.
- The surgeon and the anaesthetist
- The hospital stay, theatre and dressings
- Compression garments where needed
- Follow-up appointments for a year and the recovery line
First consultation, 60 minutes
$150
Second consultation
No charge
Upper eyelid surgery
from $3,200
Breast augmentation
from $6,900
Tummy tuck
from $8,900
Facelift
from $11,500
Example prices. Finance over 12 to 36 months is available on request (sample); a cosmetic procedure is a decision worth saving for.
Two surgeons, a nurse and a coordinator
A small team, so you see the same faces from the first phone call to the last follow-up.
Dr Hannah Okafor
Plastic surgeon (sample)
Face and eyelid surgery, nose reshaping, ear correction.
Dr Marcus Lindqvist
Plastic surgeon (sample)
Breast surgery, tummy tucks and liposuction.
Grace Whitfield
Clinic nurse (sample)
Pre-operative checks, dressings and the recovery line.
Sam Ortega
Patient coordinator (sample)
Consultations, quotes, finance and your questions in between.
Questions people ask before they book
Can I see before-and-after photos?
Yes, at the consultation. The surgeon shows photos that patients have agreed to share, of people with a similar starting point, and explains how much results vary. We do not put them on the website.
Will I have a scar?
Every operation through the skin leaves a scar. The ruler on this page shows the typical length and where it sits; scars are pink for some months and usually fade over a year or more.
Is there an age limit?
We see adults from 18. There is no upper limit, but your general health matters more with age, and the surgeon will talk about it openly.
What if I am not happy afterwards?
Tell us. Your follow-ups are there to catch problems early. The written quote explains what happens and what it costs if a revision is needed (sample terms).
Can I travel home after surgery?
Plan to stay within an hour of the clinic for the first week, and do not fly for at least a week after most procedures; longer after body surgery.
Guides from the clinic
Twelve questions to take to any consultation
Write them down and ask every surgeon you see, here or elsewhere (sample).
What happens in the operating theatre
From the marking pen to the recovery room, in the order it happens (sample).
Finding the clinic
12 Linden Row, Springfield (sample)
A quiet side street off Market Street, two minutes from the station
Monday to Wednesday
9:00–17:30
Thursday
9:00–20:00
Friday
9:00–16:00
Saturday
9:00–13:00, consultations only
Opening hours (sample).
- A private entrance and a waiting room with six chairs, so you rarely wait with others
- Two reserved parking spaces in the courtyard (sample)
- Step-free from the street to the consulting rooms
