A long list of questions flood your head when you're planning to visit a surgeon for a reconstructive or cosmetic surgery procedure, and while your surgeon will take significant time meeting with you to provide as much information about the surgery as possible, taking your own questions to the consultation can help set your mind at ease.

While it might feel as though you could ask 50 questions, it's ideal to narrow your focus and ask questions specific to your procedure. Here are three questions to make sure to include on your list:

How Many Times Have You Performed This Procedure?

Asking about the number of times your surgeon has performed the procedure allows you to, in essence, interview the surgeon. In answering your question, the surgeon should explain his or her education and training in the industry, whether he or she specializes in the specific surgery you have booked and, of course, how many times other patients have gone under the knife for the same procedure.

Although there's no specific number that automatically makes you feel at ease, Health magazine says it's good news if the surgeon's number is in the hundreds and spread over a multiple years.

What Exactly Does the Procedure Entail?

Sure, hearing all the details of the surgery might make you feel a little queasy, but it's better to have a solid understanding of the operation you're about to experience before the big day. Being unfamiliar with the process can lead to apprehension and unnecessary fear going into the procedure. Ask the surgeon to briefly explain what he or she will do, how many people will be assisting and how long it will take.

What Will the Recovery Process Be Like?

Getting through the surgery is the easy part for you -- after all, you've received a dose of anesthetic and are resting contently. What you need to know is how you can expect to feel in the hours, days and weeks after the procedure.

Your doctor will be able to give you an estimate of the pain you'll experience, whether it will be minor or moderate and the length of time it will take for you to resume your normal day-to-day activities.

Provide some information about your lifestyle and upcoming plans to the doctor; for example, if you plan to attend your child's graduation in just a couple weeks, ask how you'll look and feel by the time the event takes place. Want more help? Contact a professional like John Gatti MD with any questions you have to learn more.