How to Avoid the Cowboys

I was talking to a journalist yesterday at BBC Hereford & Worcester and I realised that there are things that we as plastic surgeons take for granted but the general public are amazed to hear.
You can listen to my piece on the radio:
BBC Hereford & Worcester “ Elliott and Toni at Breakfast, 02072015
Unfortunately, the world of plastic and cosmetic surgery is still the wild west of surgery! There is no other branch of medicine which has been infiltrated by other doctors and practitioners who are not fully trained in the speciality.
If you needed a hip replacement, you would go to a orthopaedic surgeon.
If you needed a heart bypass, you would go to a cardiothoracic surgeon.
So why is the majority of plastic surgery in this country not done by plastic surgeons?
The reason is that you tend to look for a plastic surgeon by looking on the internet, which means that companies can spend money on glossy advertising which looks impressive but can hide the credentials of the surgeon or practitioner.
This means that the surgeons are often either not qualified or are not trained to the highest levels.

I was asked does your association campaign for regulation?

BAAPS (the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) have been campaigning for some time for tighter regulation in the cosmetic industry, and in particular reference to this story “ for regulation on who can purchase and administer dermal fillers.
The journalist at BBC Hereford & Worcester bought some dermal fillers from the internet and went to Worcester town centre and within an hour had the details of 3 people who were interested in having treatment.
This is a journalist without any medical training or qualifications at all.  No one asked for her qualifications and there is no legislation that protects people from this.
You can hear the interview here.
BBC Hereford & Worcester “ Elliott and Toni at Breakfast, 02072015
We have been calling for tighter regulation on the qualifications of cosmetic practitioners and more stringent controls on who is able to give out these qualifications.
However at the moment, the industry remains largely unregulated with many self-proclaimed experts with little or no formal training or experience.
We would like dermal fillers to be classified as medicines rather than devices, which would mean that they would be restrictions on who could purchase and who could administer them.
We would also like there to be more regulation on who can perform cosmetic procedures including cosmetic surgery.
However, until there is more legislation, it is important that we educate the public in order to ‘avoid the cowboys’!

So what should I look out for?

If you are considering plastic surgery “ then it is important to look for the letters FRCS(Plast) after your surgeon’s name.  You can find a list of fully qualified plastic surgeons on the websites of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons –www.baaps.org.uk or British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons  –www.bapras.org.uk
I have written a book called ‘Never Accept a Lift from Strangers “ how to choose the best plastic surgeon for your cosmetic breast surgery’ which will be available later on in the year, so watch this space.

If you are considering a cosmetic treatment “ the majority of these are not performed by plastic surgeons.
Your practitioner should be a doctor or a senior nurse with the ability to prescribe medications (a nurse prescriber).
It is always best if you have a personal recommendation, but failing that, there should be evidence of positive testimonials or reviews and you should be able to speak to a past patient if you like.
They should be able to show you examples of before and after cases that they have performed and they should be able to go through all of the limitations and complications associated with the procedure (all procedures have potential limitations and complications).  If you feel pressurised, or if things don’t feel right “ walk away.
You should be given enough time and space to consider whether treatment is right for you without feeling forced in to making a decision.
Please spread the word and feel free to share this on social media or amongst your friends and social circles.
Legislation may be some way away, so until then it is education that is the key to making sure that the public is protected and the industry can move away from the reputation of ‘cowboy practitioners’ who do not have your best interests at heart.