I had my pre-op today for my second surgery with Zion Plastic Surgery, and I've had a really…read morepositive experience with them.
I'm almost 50, so yes, I'm getting a little nip and tuck What I love about Zion is that they're local here in Miami, extremely affordable and regularly offer promotional pricing. I've been able to have procedures done for a fraction of what I expected to pay elsewhere. I'm honestly amazed by the affordability and grateful I don't have to travel to Turkey, Colombia or another country.
That said, understand the model. This isn't a five-star Ritz-Carlton experience where someone manages everything for you. You need to stay organized, understand the requirements and budget for additional costs. For me, that trade-off is completely worth it.
THINGS TO KNOW:
* The promotional price is NOT your total cost. Ask upfront for ALL required additional expenses and read the entire packet.
* Garments are additional. Procedures such as liposuction require compression garments.
* Post-op massages are required for lipo, BBL and many other procedures, and the designated massages have to be done through Zion.
* Additional pain management costs extra. Anesthesia is included, but additional options such as a pain-relief injection on surgery day are separate.
* Drug testing is required and additional. I was tested the day before surgery and will be tested again on surgery day. At first I thought this was kind of ghetto then I remembered--THIS IS MIAMI. People party like rock stars here. When anesthesia and surgery are involved, I actually think this is a great safety measure. Be completely honest about prescriptions, medications, cannabis or recreational drugs. Your medical team needs to know what you're taking.
* Labs and medical clearance are your responsibility. Depending on your procedure, this can include bloodwork, EKG, chest X-ray and other testing within specific timeframes. Start early. Zion can also connect you with Miami walk-in no appointment needed providers for certain testing if going through your regular doctor takes too long.
* If you're traveling, plan to stay after surgery. Some procedures require postoperative appointments and care for days afterward. Ask for your exact required timeline before booking your return flight.
* Ask about payment plans. They offer options where you can make payments toward your surgery for 12-24 moinstead of necessarily financing the entire procedure. Ask about current promotional pricing and terms.
* You may not meet your surgeon until surgery day. Most communication beforehand is through coordinators and staff. This is why I research every doctor myself.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR DOCTOR:
Go to the Florida Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance (MQA) "Verify a License" website. Search the doctor's first and last name, open the correct physician record, verify the Florida license and check its status and practitioner profile.
I recommend doing this with EVERY doctor you use--not only plastic surgeons. Don't rely only on Instagram, reviews or a clinic website. Verify the physician through the state yourself.
I've researched Zion's doctors, licenses, credentials and my procedures. I've also noticed many of their before-and-after pictures are taken around surgery day rather than months later. Miami has many patients who travel here and go home after surgery, plus there are privacy considerations, so I personally looked beyond photos when researching.
The facility itself is clean, professional and very nice, and the staff I've dealt with have been friendly. Once you understand the system and complete your requirements, the process is easy.
I've seen negative reviews, but they haven't reflected my experience. This is my second surgery here, and I've been extremely happy.
I personally believe health and fitness come first--working out, eating clean and taking care of your body are more important than plastic surgery. But there are things diet and exercise simply cannot change. If you want to tighten or enhance something and responsibly use surgery to boost your confidence, that's a personal decision.
I finished my pre-op today, my procedure is tomorrow, and I'm thrilled.
I also love the name Zion because of what Zion represents to me in the biblical and Bob Marley sense: healing, grace, beauty from ashes, transformation and God's glory.
I'm incredibly grateful to have such an affordable option right in my own backyard. I honestly wish I had done some of this sooner.
Based on my own experience, highly, highly recommend.