COSMETIC SURGERY
Improving the safetyof cosmetic interventions
With a record number of over 51,000 Britons having undergone cosmetic surgery in 2015, the public’s love affair with cosmetic interventions shows no sign of abating. But what protection is there for members of the public undergoing cosmetic procedures and how can they be sure their surgeon has the appropriate training and experience?
According to data from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (
www.baaps.org.uk), the number of cosmetic operations last year grew 13% overall since 2014 – with all procedures seeing an increase in demand. Women’s cosmetic surgery rose 12.5%, with breast augmentation continuing to remain the most popular procedure for women. Some of the most dramatic rises were for face/neck lifts (up 16%) and liposuction (up 20%). Men also underwent substantially more facial procedures, with face/necklifts climbing 14%, brow lifts (+15.5%), eyelid
surgery (+15%), and rhinoplasty (+14%) all gaining popularity. There was also a massive rise of 20% in male liposuction and a 13% jump in ‘man boob’ reductions. Non-surgical cosmetic procedures have also continued to grow in popularity – dermal fillers, Botox or the use of laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) account for nine out of ten procedures and 75% of the cosmetic interventions market. However, concerns have been raised about the safety and regulation of the cosmetic interventions sector, most notably following the Poly Implant Prothèse implants
scandal – in which hundreds of thousands of breast implants made from unapproved, industrial-grade silicone were sold globally. In addition, a high profile, independent
review, commissioned by the Government in 2014, identified three key areas where change was required in the cosmetic interventions sector, including: high quality care with safe products, skilled practitioners and responsible providers; an informed and empowered public to ensure people get accurate advice and that the vulnerable are protected; and, accessible redress and resolution in case things go wrong. The review, headed by Sir Bruce Keogh, warned that – despite the fact that that non-surgical interventions can have major and irreversible adverse impacts on health and wellbeing – they are almost entirely unregulated. Sir Bruce Keogh commented in his foreword: “A person having a non-surgical cosmetic intervention has no more protection and redress than someone buying a ballpoint pen or a toothbrush.”
New standards on cosmetic procedures
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has called on the Government to introduce legislation to protect patients undergoing cosmetic surgery, as the organisation and the General Medical Council (GMC) published new standards on cosmetic procedures. The RCS’s Professional Standards for Cosmetic Surgery are intended to improve patient safety and standards in the industry, by stipulating that only surgeons with the appropriate training and experience should undertake cosmetic surgery, as well as the ethics and behaviour expected of them. They supplement GMC guidance, published for all doctors who carry out cosmetic interventions, including non-surgical procedures such as Botox and hair transplants. However, to help make the regulation
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