The current reality is that any doctor can call himself or herself a cosmetic or plastic surgeon but without any specific plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery training. 

 

While the GMC requires a doctor to have specialist training in order to be on the specialist register, many practitioners claim to be experts but some are not even surgeons. Some may claim to have impressive sounding qualifications but these can have little meaning. 
Here are some simple guidelines for choosing a good cosmetic surgeon. The bottom line is to remember that undergoing surgery is a serious commitment.

1. What you should know about your cosmetic surgeon. Your surgeon should be fully trained. Don’t just accept a claim of excellence, investigate it. Some criteria which are easily checked out and which would indicate a good level of training would be:

 

(a) The surgeon is on the specialist register for plastic surgery of the GMC.
(b) FRCS (Plast) or FRCS in Plastic Surgery (rather than just having an FRCS which is a general qualification and does not indicate specialist training in Plastic Surgery).
(c) Membership of organisations like BAAPS or BAPRAS is a good indication of a surgeon being fully trained and qualified as a plastic/cosmetic surgeon.
(d) Being an appointed NHS Consultant Plastic Surgeon.
(e) Surgeons working out of reputable clinics like Nuffield, Ramsay Health Care and Spire are generally well trained NHS consultants. 

 

2. It is essential that you are well informed about the proposed procedure you are considering. Gather the information about the procedure and talk directly to the surgeon about its limitations and any potential risks. You should be in a position to understand and accept any risks before proceeding as no surgery or procedure is 100% free of risk. 

 

3. You should be able to communicate freely with your surgeon and have confidence in the surgeon and the clinic. 

 

4. Make sure that you do not make a decision lightly and especially not under pressure. At a time of stress like moving house or during or soon after the break up of a relationship, etc., avoid undergoing cosmetic surgery.

 

5. Make sure your surgeon is based locally. Some commercial organisations will fly their surgeons in from other cities or from other countries for the surgery and they leave soon after the surgery. This can be a potential problem should a complication arise. The same applies to you travelling long distances or overseas for your procedure as you may find you are unable to return should a need arise. In some cases the cosmetic surgery company abroad may be unwilling to help you out in that situation.

 

6. If a clinic or a surgeon asks you for a non-refundable deposit or booking fee, walk away! You should always be in a position to change your mind right up to the date of surgery. Essentially the surgery is to make you feel better about yourself and if you are not entirely sure about proceeding or feel pressurised into proceeding with surgery you should reconsider this option.

 

7. Take a cooling off period. Most highly qualified surgeons will offer two consultations with a cooling off period in between (to allow you to consider all the information and the risks of surgery) to make up your mind about whether to proceed. Do not be rushed into surgery for considerations like a reduced fee. 

 

8. If you are choosing a surgeon, a clinic or going abroad because of cheap offers, remember the reason cosmetic surgery is more expensive in some clinics and generally in the UK is because they work under stringent rules to ensure the highest possible standards of care. Costly regulations have to be implemented both by the surgeons and the clinics which provide a high level of care during surgery and aftercare. Most UK based surgeons would pay an indemnity fee often in excess of £40,000 a year as a safeguard for patients before they carry out cosmetic surgery. Highly qualified plastic surgeons who are members of BAAPS or BAPRAS will not employ sales people or patient co-ordinators to sell the surgery. You will get a direct consultation with the surgeon and may have to pay for it. It is better to pay for independent advice than to be sold cosmetic surgery which may not be indicated.

 So – check your surgeon ticks these boxes!

FRCS (plast)

GMC (specialist Register for Plastic Surgery)

Experience

BAAPS Member

NHS Consultant (past or present)

Provides Direct Consultations (no sales person)