FAQs

You may book an appointment by contacting the office here or via phone 613-702-5333 or email info@ottawasurgery.com. A cosmetic consultation does not require a doctor’s referral but a consultation fee will apply. The consultation fee is discounted from your next procedure.

We accept credit card payments, cash, and certified cheques. Financing options are available to divide payments monthly.

We have patient before and after photos for your education with permission from our generous patients. We value your privacy and will not have your photographs available for others to see unless we have your explicit consent.

In daytime hours, you may contact the office at 613-702-5333 or email info@ottawasurgery.com. Our email is used for scheduling and office purposes only and we do not accept medical information or photographs. For medical advice, an appointment will need to be scheduled to see a physician in person. For emergencies, please proceed to your nearest emergency department.

As spaces are limited and in consideration for other patients, a no-show fee may be applied.

This is dependent on what the surgery is for. For some procedures the consult and surgery will happen at the same appointment.

The Ministry of Health determines which procedures are covered by OHIP and which are not, based on a number of factors. Most benign (non-cancerous) skin lesions are not covered as their treatment is considered unessential by the Ministry of Health.

There is no fasting required for this appointment. Eating before your surgery is encouraged as it would curb the chances of “light-headedness” or “jittery” feelings occurring prior to and through your surgery.

The length of a procedure is different for each case. On average, an in-office procedure will take from 30-60 minutes. Ask our office if a more specific answer is needed.

If you have any major changes to your health or medications prior to this appointment, please let us know immediately.

We recommend that you take a full body shower prior to your appointment as you will not be able to shower/bathe for at least 2 days post-surgery and possibly up to a week depending on what procedure is being done for you.

Although this varies on a case-by-case basis, we avoid operating on multiple conditions per person on the same day. This is to help ease the recovery process, and also to ensure that the total dosage of local anesthesia doesn’t exceed the daily recommended limit.

There is no need to shave unless you have been specifically instructed.

We also request that all jewelry/metal accessories be removed for this procedure ahead of time (earrings, necklaces, rings, watches/ bracelets, piercings, etc).  However, if you have a ring and you are unable to remove it, please let our staff know.  If necessary, we may put a wrap over your piercing to prevent exposure during surgery.

Depending on your procedure we will administer local anesthesia with a tiny needle. Although pain levels vary based on the condition that is being treated, we aim to minimize your pain during the procedure as much as possible.

Depending on the type of procedure you are recommended to not perform any heavy exercise that could increase your heart rate, blood pressure, or cause sweating. No heavy lifting beyond 10lbs (think of a heavy bag of groceries).

Seasonal activities to plan to avoid: shovelling snow, golfing, swimming, etc.

At the time of the procedure you will be given instructions for when you can shower (typically 2-3 days after the procedure) in the meantime you can sponge bath avoiding the operated area. Stagnant water, such as water from swimming pools, hot tub, lakes, and dish water, would need to be avoided until the skin of the operated area is healed and smooth.

This will depend on what type of procedure you are having. You will need someone to drive you home if there will be anesthetic near your eyes. It is recommended to either have someone drive you or have a back-up option if you do need someone to drive you home. Prepare to have an adult available if needed.

An infection typically presents as a fever (temperature over 38 degrees celsius orally), spreading redness, and odorous drainage. If you suspect an infection, you can call our office (613-702-5333) to speak with one of our staff members. If Dr. Lee is available, we will book you in to see her on an urgent basis, otherwise we will recommend you see your family doctor or your local emergency department for care.  If you are calling outside of our office hours (or are unable to reach one of our staff members directly) please visit your family doctor or the emergency department at your local hospital.

Returning to work will depend on the surgery location and the restrictions compared to your work duties. For the majority of in-office procedures for at least one week following the surgery you will be restricted to no heavy lifting (nothing above 10lbs), no exercise beyond a light walk, and nothing exerting that could cause sweating, an increased heart rate and increased blood pressure.

A completely scarless surgery is a myth. Any cuts, scrapes, or incisions made during surgery do leave scars. However, the surgeon understands and empathizes with our patients’ inclination to want little to no scars, and is extremely digilent about practicing the best techniques to minimize scarring as much as possible. We also will make recommendations for  scar management after surgery.

How a scar looks after healing varies on a case-by-case basis. The surgeon cannot control where the lesion grows on the face and body. Plastic surgery techniques are used to minimize and hide the scar. No two people will have the exact same healing.

Generally there is an appointment to review healing and any lab results from the surgery. This may be done over the telephone or in-person. If you have non-dissolving sutures, you may have an appointment to remove these, or you may choose to have them removed at a clinic closer to your home.