Everything You Need
to Plan Ahead.
Practical guidance for each stage — preparing for your consultation, arranging time away from work and travel, and knowing what recovery will ask of you. If something here isn't covered, our team is a phone call away.
Quick Links
Pricing & Financing
What shapes the cost of a procedure, starting figures for facial and in-office surgery, and the financing partners we work with.
View pricing →Frequently Asked Questions
Consultations, facial surgery, recovery, pricing, skin treatments, and body contouring — answered in one place.
Read the FAQs →Request a Consultation
Share your goals and our team will be in touch to arrange your appointment, in person or virtually.
Get in touch →New Patient Forms
Paperwork to complete before your first visit.
TK — Client to supply the new patient forms and any instructions for completing them. Until then this card stays unlinked.Preparing for Your Consultation
A private consultation with Dr. Stephenson is $225 and includes a full hour for a physical examination, discussion of your goals, time for your questions, and a written quote for the proposed procedure. If you proceed with surgery, the consultation fee is applied to your surgical balance.
We accept debit cards, major credit cards, and cash. To arrange your appointment, call the office at (770) 466-4700, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, or send us your details and we will call you back.
Come prepared to talk about your health
Full disclosure of your medical history and current health is essential to assessing surgical risk accurately, and every history is reviewed thoroughly before surgery is scheduled. We also consider both weight and height — together, Body Mass Index — when assessing candidacy. Our practice guideline is to accept patients with a BMI of 33 or below.
Recovery Timelines
Typical guidance, so you can plan time away from work and everyday life. Your own timeline depends on your procedure and how you heal.
| Milestone | Guidance |
|---|---|
| Overall recovery | Averages 6 to 8 weeks, varying with the procedure and the individual. |
| Swelling and bruising | Typically 4 to 6 weeks, with noticeable improvement from around the two-week mark. |
| Seeing your results | Contour and shape emerge over roughly 6 to 12 weeks as swelling subsides. |
| Return to work — desk role | Usually 1 to 2 weeks with restrictions, full duties by about 4 weeks. |
| Return to work — physical role | About 4 weeks with restrictions, and 8 weeks before returning to full duty. |
| Light walking | From about two weeks after surgery. |
| Heavy activity and the gym | Wait 6 to 8 weeks. |
| After facial surgery | Avoid sudden head movements and bending with your head down for three weeks. |
Care & Support After Surgery
Someone With You
A responsible adult must accompany you home and care for you for the first 24 to 48 hours. If you cannot arrange that, our team can organize a private duty nurse — this carries an additional fee and includes transport home along with 24 to 48 hours of care.
Lymphatic Massage
Dr. Stephenson recommends lymphatic massage after surgery and works with certified lymphedema therapists across Atlanta. The usual course is 2 to 3 sessions per week through the first 3 to 4 weeks of recovery.
Swelling & Bruising
Dr. Stephenson recommends the homeopathic remedies Arnica and Bromelain, starting two days before surgery and continuing for ten days afterward, which can reduce both the duration and the intensity.
Lymphatic massage should be performed by a therapist with lymphedema training and experience in post-operative lymphatic drainage. Our team can point you toward the practitioners we work with.
Planning Your Stay
Plan to stay in Atlanta for one to two weeks after surgery, depending on your procedure. We have established relationships with local recovery nurses and hotels to make the stay straightforward.
If traveling to Dunwoody for a first appointment is impractical, virtual consultations are available for out-of-town patients. Call the office to arrange one, or choose Virtual Consultation when you request an appointment.
Driving & Flying
Driving takes more mental and physical energy than most people expect, and narcotic pain medication reduces both. Dr. Stephenson advises waiting two weeks before driving.
Air travel is a separate consideration. Immobility during flights raises the risk of deep vein thrombosis, so please delay any flights for at least four weeks after surgery — worth factoring in before you book anything.
Personal. Private. Purposeful.
Schedule a private consultation and experience the ESJ Aesthetics difference.