Frequently asked questions

The choice depends on your wishes, your anatomy and the result you would like to achieve.

Aesthetic medicine offers treatments without surgery, such as injections, lasers and chemical peels. These can soften selected wrinkles, restore volume or improve skin quality. Their effects may be temporary and require maintenance sessions.
Cosmetic surgery may be more suitable when significant sagging needs to be corrected, excess skin removed, or certain facial or body structures reshaped. It involves a longer recovery and risks specific to each procedure, with generally longer-lasting results.

The two approaches can also complement one another. A consultation helps identify an appropriate option for your situation, taking into account the expected benefits, limitations and recovery involved in each treatment.

Dr Letertre discusses your expectations, medical history and current treatments with you, then carries out a clinical examination. He explains the proposed procedure, anaesthesia, scarring and recovery. This appointment gives you the opportunity to ask questions and make an informed decision.

French social security does not cover purely cosmetic surgery. Certain reconstructive procedures, for example for congenital conditions, the effects of cancer or trauma, may be covered subject to specific criteria. Depending on your policy, supplementary health insurance may contribute towards medical and hospital costs, including fees above the standard reimbursement rate.

Overview:

• Cosmetic surgery or aesthetic medicine treatments (liposuction, facelifts, Botox injections, etc.):
not covered by French national health insurance when performed solely for cosmetic reasons.

• Procedures with a reconstructive purpose (certain abdominoplasties, protruding ear correction, correction of breast malformations, surgery after cancer, etc.):
may be covered by French national and supplementary health insurance, subject to eligibility and any required prior authorisation.

View Dr Letertre’s fees here. A personalised quote is provided after your consultation. It sets out the costs associated with the procedure, including the surgeon’s fees, anaesthesia and healthcare facility charges, as applicable.

Purely cosmetic treatments are generally not covered by health insurance. Certain reconstructive procedures may be eligible under specific coverage criteria.

Yes. You can pay Dr Letertre’s fees in monthly instalments.

The anaesthetic approach depends on the planned procedure, your health and your comfort. Common options include local anaesthesia, local anaesthesia with intravenous sedation, and general anaesthesia. The choice is discussed with you by the surgeon and, where appropriate, the anaesthetist during your preoperative assessment.

1. Local anaesthesia
This numbs a small area of the body. You remain awake but do not feel pain in the treated area.

2. Local anaesthesia with sedation
Local anaesthesia numbs the treatment area, while sedative medication, usually given intravenously, helps you feel relaxed and drowsy. The depth of sedation is adjusted to the procedure and your needs. This is different from regional anaesthesia, which blocks sensation in a larger area by acting on specific nerves.

3. General anaesthesia
This places you in a controlled state of unconsciousness during the operation, under the care of an anaesthetist.

Breast implants are not lifetime devices. Their lifespan varies, and further surgery may be needed if a complication develops or your circumstances change. Some manufacturers offer long-term or lifetime product warranties, but a warranty does not mean that an implant will last for life or that all replacement costs are covered.

Implant replacement is assessed individually rather than according to a guaranteed lifespan. Regular follow-up is important, and any change in the breast’s shape, firmness or comfort should be discussed with your surgeon.

Liposuction can treat many areas of the body with localised fat deposits that persist despite diet and exercise. These include the abdomen, love handles, hips, thighs, calves, arms, back folds, male breasts when enlargement is due to fat, the pubic area, neck and double chin.

The treatment areas are agreed during your consultation, according to your body shape, fat distribution and skin elasticity. Several areas may sometimes be treated during the same operation.

Non-surgical treatments may offer a modest improvement in skin firmness in selected cases of very mild sagging.
When the breast itself has descended, surgery remains the established approach to lifting it. A breast lift removes excess skin and repositions the breasts and areolas.

Exercise can strengthen the pectoral muscles beneath the breasts, but it does not tighten the skin or lift the breast gland. Creams, massage and non-surgical treatments cannot produce a result comparable to a surgical breast lift.

A consultation helps distinguish skin laxity from loss of volume and allows you to discuss options suited to your breasts and expectations.

Every incision leaves a scar. Although scars are unavoidable, surgeons carefully position them in natural creases or concealed areas and use precise suturing techniques to make them as discreet as possible over time. Their appearance changes over several months and depends on factors including your skin, the procedure and how closely you follow the prescribed aftercare.

Some procedures can be combined when this is compatible with your health and a reasonable operating time. This is assessed individually. Staging procedures over separate operations may sometimes be preferable to reduce risks.

Recovery time depends on the procedure, your health and your activities. It may range from a few days to several weeks. Swelling, bruising and fatigue may persist after you return to everyday activities.

Your return to work depends in particular on the physical demands of your job and the visible effects of surgery. Your surgeon must approve your return to sport, heavy lifting and strenuous activity.

Your recovery timetable is explained before surgery. Rest, following the aftercare instructions and attending follow-up appointments support your recovery.

The changes can be long-lasting, but they do not stop ageing or other changes in the body. Pregnancy, weight fluctuations and changes in the tissues can affect the result over time.

The effects of Botox last around four months, sometimes longer. Muscle activity gradually returns and expression lines reappear.

The results of hyaluronic acid treatment usually last between 9 and 12 months, with variation according to the product, the treatment area and the individual.

These timeframes are a guide. A follow-up consultation allows your practitioner to assess how the result is developing and decide whether further injections would be useful, rather than repeating treatment automatically.

A consultation helps identify the product that was injected and the cause of the concern. In certain situations, hyaluronic acid can be broken down using hyaluronidase under medical supervision. This option does not apply to every injectable product and carries risks of its own.

The choice depends on the concern to be treated, such as pigmentation, fine lines, scars or an uneven complexion. Your skin colour, medical history and sun exposure are also taken into account. An assessment beforehand helps identify an appropriate technique and explain the expected recovery and possible effects.