Frequently Asked Questions

All consultations at Ethique Plastic Surgery require a referral. The referral needs to provide the reason for you needing to see Dr Safvat. The referring General Practitioner (GP) provides us with your medical history which is important in determining the plan for you.

For consultations that are deemed Medical, you need to have a referral to be eligible for rebates from Medicare.

For consultations that are deemed Cosmetic (e.g. Breast Augmentation, Neck Lift) a referral is required by AHPRA regulations even though rebates will not be available from Medicare.

Ethique Plastic Surgery will correspond with your GP to keep them informed of your treatment(s) and keep your medical records and health history up-to-date.

Please bring any relevant blood tests and x-rays/scans. Don’t forget your Medicare and Private Health Insurance cards!

Initial consultations are between thirty and sixty minutes depending on the nature of your procedure. Initial cosmetic consultations are longer – between forty-five and sixty minutes – to ensure adequate time for Ethique Plastic Surgery to elicit accurately your concerns and goals, discuss in detail what is achievable, and different options and techniques available to you. For cosmetic surgery procedures, Ethique Plastic Surgery offers a second consultation, and in some cases a third consultation, prior to the procedure free of charge. This is to make sure all questions are thoroughly answered and patients are clear about recovery and management plans.

Post-operative consultations are about fifteen minutes and are free of charge. It is important to state the nature of your consult with Dr Safvat when booking your appointment so that our staff can allocate enough time for your appointment. We respect our patient’s time and try to stagger bookings to minimise waiting time.

Yes, Dr Safvat is a highly qualified Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon who is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) and is also a member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) which is the peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgeons in Australia. He is also a member of the Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS).

DR ANDRE SAFVAT  (MED1155201)
Registered Medical Practitioner, Specialist Plastic Surgeon (specialist registration in Surgery – Plastic surgery).

A Specialist Plastic Surgeon is a registered title conferred by the Australian Medical Council and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). It can only be used by accredited plastic surgeons who have completed their training under the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Fellows of this college (FRACS Plast) are thoroughly trained and qualified to perform invasive cosmetic and reconstructive surgery in public and private hospitals, as well as accredited day surgeries.

In Australia, the National Medical Board states that the Specialist Plastic Surgeon title can only be used by Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in the recognised speciality of Plastic Surgery.

Currently in Australia, it is legal for any doctor with a basic medical degree to perform surgery. Specialist Plastic Surgeons, on the other hand, have extensive surgical education and training in order to gain registration as a Specialist Plastic Surgeon. They must satisfactorily complete and obtain a Fellowship of the College of Surgeons in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Doctors that receive this fellowship have undergone a gruelling process of initial selection and subsequent supervised training under the guidance of the National Training Board of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. The surgical specialist pathway includes a minimum of twelve years medical and surgical education with at least 5 years of specialist postgraduate training.

This is in contrast with the title Cosmetic Surgeon which is not recognised as a specialist by the Medical Board and does not necessarily guarantee that the practitioner has gained adequate surgical training. Cosmetic Surgeons often were not able to get into plastic surgery training or found the training in Australia too difficult. There are no specialist qualifications, skills, training, or experience required to label oneself and indeed operate on patients as a “Cosmetic Surgeon”. All surgical procedures carry risk but you can reduce the risks and chance of complications by consulting a Specialist Plastic Surgeon who is highly trained, qualified, and accredited to perform plastic, cosmetic, and reconstructive surgery.

Some minor procedures can be performed in the procedure rooms of our Practices in Miranda and Bowral using local anaesthetic. For your safety and comfort, other more complex procedures that require general anaesthetic or sedation will be performed in one of several accredited private hospitals where Ethique Plastic Surgery has operating rights.

There are some procedures that you may go home on the same day as your operation, whereas for major procedures a hospital stay will be required. Be wary of doctors who offer to do complex procedures in their rooms which are not Accredited Day Surgeries or Hospitals. Often, they are not accredited specialist surgeons and cannot obtain rights and privileges to operate at Accredited Day Surgery Centres or Hospitals.

Ethique Plastic Surgery performs procedures under sedation (twilight) or general anaesthetic at the following fully accredited Private Hospitals:

• Kareena Private Hospital
• Ramsay Surgical Centre Miranda
• Strathfield Private Hospital
• Southern Highlands Private Hospital

He also has operating privileges at several other fully accredited hospitals such as St George Private Hospital, Westmead Private Hospital, Concord Private Hospital, and Sydney Southwest Private hospital.

Smoking affects wound healing and Ethique Plastic Surgery strongly advises – and for some procedures, insists – that patients stop smoking at least 4 weeks before surgery and to continue to do so for 1 to 2 weeks post-operatively to improve wound healing.

This depends on your operation and the length of your flight. After most minor operations it will be alright to fly. However, in the few weeks following a major operation, there is an increased risk of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clots) which can be a potentially life-threatening condition. Ethique Plastic Surgery advises avoiding any lengthy flights in the first month following major surgery.

If you must fly then wearing compression stockings, regular in-flight leg exercises, and drinking plenty of water is strongly recommended.