Yes, a referral is required to see Dr O’Mahony for both Reconstructive and Cosmetic consultations. GP referrals are usually valid for 12 months and specialist referrals are valid for 3 months. For non cosmetic procedures your referral will need to be in date for the procedure and for most follow up appointments or Medicare and Health Fund Rebates cannot be accessed.

When you come to Dr O’Mahony’s office please bring your referral and any relevant scans or X-rays. If you are taking medications (including herbal remedies or vitamins) it is very helpful if you can bring a list of these medications with you.

For uninsured patients or cosmetic procedures where Health Insurance does not apply hospital costs are also provided in the quotation.

Please note for insured patients your quote will not include any hospital excess or co-payments that are included in some Health Fund policies. We would advise you confirm these with your Health Fund Provider.

For procedures under sedation or general anaesthetic, contact details of the Specialist Anaesthetist working with Dr O’Mahony will be provided so you can contact them directly to provide a quote for their services.

Reconstructive surgery is recognised by Medicare, and if your Health Fund Policy includes the relevant Medicare item numbers (provided on your quote) then rebates can usually be claimed from your Health Fund. Unfortunately in many situations your Health Fund will not cover the full cost of surgery, and this will be reflected in the quote. Longer or more extensive surgeries with more post operative care from Dr O’Mahony will generally attract bigger gap payments. When a procedure is recognised by your Health Fund they will pay for your theatre and hospital fees which can be quite substantial. Prior to proceeding with surgery it is very important that you confirm your cover with and any excess payments with your Health Fund.

Cosmetic Surgery is not covered by Medicare or Health Funds. If you have any queries regarding what is considered cosmetic surgery please contact us, we would be happy to clarify this for you.

If you require pathology or radiology tests as part of your treatment you may receive a separate bill from these specialists, this may not be claimable from your Health Fund.

Have more questions?
Please do not hesitate to ask Dr O’Mahony or her staff if you have any queries about fees.

When you are considering Surgery with Dr O’Mahony her office will provide you with a comprehensive written quotation for your proposed surgery after your initial consultation.

For uninsured patients or cosmetic procedures where Health Insurance does not apply hospital costs are also provided in the quotation.
Please note for insured patients your quote will not include any hospital excess or co-payments that are included in some Health Fund policies. We would advise you confirm these with your Health Fund Provider.
For procedures under sedation or general anaesthetic, contact details of the Specialist Anaesthetist working with Dr O’Mahony will be provided so you can be contact them directly to provide a quote for their services.

The term ‘plastic’ arises from the Greek word ‘plastikos’, which means to reshape or remodel. A Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon is a highly trained Medical Specialist who performs both Reconstructive and Aesthetic (Cosmetic) Plastic Surgery.

In Australia there is only one route by which a Doctor can qualify as a Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon. This is through the Specialist Training program administered by The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). This College is the only body accredited to award the title of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with the Australian Medical Council also have a process through which overseas trained Specialists can apply to be recognised as Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons.

Selection onto the training program in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is highly competitive, with only a small number of Doctors chosen each year throughout Australia and New Zealand. The program is extremely rigorous, with candidates being intensively trained and frequently examined in all aspects of Plastic Surgery, both Reconstructive and Cosmetic. At the culmination of this program, trainee Plastic Surgeons sit a series of gruelling exams, before they can be awarded their ‘Fellowship’, or qualification as a Surgeon, and the right to use the suffix FRACS (Plast) after their name. In 2026 Dr O’Mahony will become the Senior Examiner for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Only qualified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons are entitled to join the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the national representative body of the specialty. They are also legally recognised as Specialists by Medicare Australia and the Health Insurance Funds and only operate in fully accredited Hospitals and Day Surgery Facilities, which allows their patients to claim rebates for eligible procedures.

Once qualified, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons must show evidence of participation in ongoing Medical Education and Training in order to retain their Specialist status.

To be certain that you are consulting a fully qualified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon for your Plastic or Cosmetic Surgery, look for the qualification ‘FRACS (Plast)’ and membership of ASPS.

More information on the training and qualifications required of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons can be found by following these links:

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
Australian Medical Council (AMC)

A fully qualified Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon is also a qualified ‘Cosmetic’ Surgeon. However, a number of non-Specialist Doctors promote ‘Cosmetic Surgery’ despite not being formally trained as Surgeons. Some of these Doctors advertise widely, may quote a variety of surgical ‘qualifications’ and perform cosmetic surgery procedures such as Breast Augmentation. Naturally this can cause confusion amongst patients who are considering Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. For your own peace of mind and protection the only way to know you are in the hands of a fully qualified Specialist Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon is to ensure they hold a Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and are members of The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

More information on the training and qualifications required of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons can be found by following these links:

Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

Craniofacial Surgery, or Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, is a subspecialty of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, requiring 2 years of additional training and examinations. This is quite distinct from ‘Maxillofacial Surgery’, which is a subspecialty of Dental Surgery.

Craniofacial Surgeons perform complex reconstructive operations involving the skull, the bones of the face and the soft tissues of the face. They are also highly trained in aesthetic procedures of the face and neck such as face and neck lifts and eyelid surgery. Many patients undergoing Craniomaxillofacial surgery have some form of congenital deformity or asymmetry, have been treated for tumours, or have suffered facial trauma.

Dr O’Mahony specialises in both adult and paediatric Craniomaxillofacial Surgery. She has a special interest in the treatment of Cleft Lip and Palate and aesthetic facial surgery, along with removal and reconstruction of facial skin cancers. Her subspecialty qualification in Craniomaxillofacial Surgery fully complements her interest in all forms of Facial Plastic Surgery, both reconstructive and cosmetic.

For your safety Dr O’Mahony will not undertake elective (non cancer) surgery on patients who use nicotine products unless they stop for six weeks prior to surgery. Nicotine causes small blood vessels to the skin to spasm and therefore reduces the blood flow to wounds. This reduces the flow of oxygen, white blood cells and other inflammatory agents that allow wounds to heal and so this leads to wound breakdown, chronic wounds, infections and resultant poor scars.

Dr O’Mahony will sometimes ask you to complete a blood test to confirm you have no nicotine derivatives in your bloodstream prior to elective surgery.

Dr O’Mahony will advise you on the safety of continuing regular medications and supplements around your surgery date. for the most part it is safer to continue your regular medications. there are some exceptions to this:

1. Blood thinners. Dr O’Mahony will liaise with the specialists who prescribe robed blood thinners to determine the safety of stopping these.
2. Supplements. There are numerous supplements such as fish oil and glucosamine (and many others) that thin the blood and risk bleeding during surgery. Dr O’Mahony will advise which of these are safe to continue taking. Please do not start any new supplements before surgery without checking first with her or her nurse Chris.
3. Diabetic medications. It is important that blood sugar is maintained at a good level around the time of surgery to promote healing and reduce infections. However, some alterations in medications may need to be made to accommodate the effects of fasting.
4. Hormone medications such as HRT or the oral contraceptive pill. Both of these medications can increase the risk of blood clots (DVT) around the time of surgery and for some procedures Dr O’Mahony will ask you to stop them in the weeks around the operation.
5. Weight loss injections such as Mounjaro, Wegovy and Ozempic. These medications slow the stomach emptying, even many weeks after taking them. it is not necessary to stop them for surgery however we will advise you on separate fasting instructions in preparation for surgery that include clear fluids only for the 24 hours before your anaesthetic.
6. Steroids and other immunosuppressant drugs. These medications can impact healing and Dr O’Mahony may need to liaise with your other specialists to determine the safety of continuing them around surgery. Sometimes modifications need to be made, balanced with the management of your condition that requires the immunosupressants.

This list is not exhaustive and to ensure your safety around the time of surgery please bring a list of all medications with you so that Dr O’Mahony is fully informed and can best advise you.