A good surgeon is like a good bar of soap – it may be more expensive but it’s worth it in the long run.

I like using bars of soap.

I much prefer a bar than the liquid that comes in bottles.

When I am at the supermarket, I look for the best deals which inevitably involves a multiple pack of Palmolive.

My wife doesn’t like the supermarket like me, and I have noticed some different bars of soap turn up here and there.

This is a bar we have in the downstairs toilet:

It has been there for months and never really seems to get much smaller despite the fact we are using it daily.

Meanwhile I have been through quite a few multipacks of Palmolive.

I asked her where she got the soap from and it turns out that it was a present (a Christmas present!).

I bet it didn’t come from a multipack.

I have realised that buying cheap soap is a false economy,

• it wears out more quickly, so I have to keep buying more
• this means that I need to keep a supply in the cupboard
• and there is all the packaging that is wasted

I would be better off all round if I bought a decent bar as it would last longer and probably give a more pleasant washing experience.

It struck me that it is the same with good surgeons.

It is often the case that you don’t realise what you are paying for until after you have bought it and used it for a while.

I get messages from people all the time who have had surgery elsewhere and are unhappy with their result and the way they have been treated.

Often, the price they have paid for their surgery is significantly less and that is clearly attractive – just like the multipack of Palmolive.

It may look the same having surgery with one surgeon compared to another but it is important to see if there might be differences that are not immediately apparent.

The problem with a lot of quality products is that it is not always immediately obvious why they are more expensive.

It can be difficult to justify paying the extra price when on the face of it it might look similar to a much cheaper alternative.

It might be some time down the line when you realise the difference and it may often be too late to go back and start again.

I won’t be going back to my cheap soaps because I realise now that it is a much nicer experience buying better quality ones and it will probably work out cheaper in the long run.