Finding The Right Plastic Surgeon For You

Cosmetic Surgery: Facelifts, Fillers, Fat Transfers, botox, Bums and More….

Are you considering botox, laser treatment, full facelift or the whole shebang? The secret to cosmetic success is deciding on a safe and reputable surgeon. Whilst most are responsible and experienced, there are some doctors and clinics that aren’t, so this is our guide to finding your way through the anti-ageing medical minefield.

Be accountable; some research shows women put more time and effort into getting a new car than finding a plastic surgeon. Here are some facts:

Checking with the official bodies is a must. However, they will only give information on qualifications, and not aesthetic competence. Going forward, hospitals and clinics providing cosmetic surgery, laser and intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy will need to be registered and will be regulated by the Healthcare Commission, but, as yet, there is no regulation for non-surgical procedures, such as botox and fillers. The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) can provide you with a list of registered and trained dermatologists.

Make sure your surgeon is registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).

Generally the best surgeons are the ones who blog, write and lecture, so a quick search online is a great way to check the level of their profile.

Surgeons should have the FRCS qualification (the one and only specialist plastic-surgery exam). Whether they are fully private or not, find out if they have worked in the NHS. Although this is not essential, it shows they’ve worked through a good peer-review system and that their qualifications are of a high standard.

Things you need to know:

• Make sure you leave your consultation with plenty of literature – which should not be flashy, just professional and informative. Be sure the clinic has malpractice insurance.
• Consultations should be with the surgeon doing the procedure – not a colleague or nurse.
• One consultation is necessary, two is helpful. Any more than that and you should question whether you actually want to go through with this.
• Going abroad for surgery could prove to be false economy. Some countries have great surgeons – ‘the USA, Germany and France have a good level of regulation,’ says dermatologist Nick Lowe – other countries don’t. Also, if anything should go wrong at a later date, you would have to travel some distance to see your plastic surgeon.
• Don’t be swayed by free consultations or flashy adverts; good surgeons have waiting lists of up to 12 months.
• Don’t ever let a doctor inject your face with permanent or semi-permanent fillers. If you’re not happy with how it looks, they are practically impossible to remove.
• Never feel pressured into having your procedure straight away – give yourself time to think: ‘Cosmetic procedures should never be an emergency,’ says Lowe.
• Walk out if the doctor advises you: ‘I never have anything go wrong’, ‘I’m the only doctor doing this’ or they name celebrity clients.
• Ultimately, you should listen to your gut – if you don’t like or you feel uncomfortable with the doctor or clinic, look somewhere else.

Surgical procedure tips from Wendy Lewis an independent consultant:

• Prepare all your questions before the consultation and never ask “What do you think I need?” – This can leave you open to abuse.
• Make sure you are clear on the difference between ‘medical’ and ‘confidence’ times for your recovery (when you feel able to face the public).
• Look at pictures of, and speak to your surgeon’s previous clients who have had the procedure done.
• If in doubt, ask the Plastic Surgeon: “If I was your sister/wife/daughter, would you endorse having this procedure?” It’s pretty difficult to avoid answering such a direct question.

Your health is important, make sure you do your research, ask the right questions and make the right decision for you.