Cosmetic Surgery Experts Want Stricter Regulations
Experts have condemned the cosmetic surgery industry in the UK, warning that insufficient regulations are putting the public at risk.
There is no doubt that the industry is booming: it generates huge revenues and has been valued at around £2.3 billion. This figure is expected to rise to £3.6 billion by 2015 due to the increased focus on male procedures. In particular, gynecomastia surgery (otherwise known as male breast reduction surgery) is seeing a surge in popularity.
But despite the staggering number of cosmetic procedures performed every day, there is a shocking lack of safety controls. There is no register of cosmetic practitioners, who may practice treatments such as dermal fillers without qualification or training. Such non-invasive procedures can, in fact, be legally carried out by anyone – even by the patient himself.
In terms of more serious, invasive procedures, the reality is no less worrying. It is true NHS plastic surgeon's must be on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register, which confirms a surgeon has completed formal plastic surgery training. This, however, represents just 30 to 40 per cent of the number of plastic surgeons in the UK.
In practice, anyone with a medical qualification can perform plastic surgery, no matter what their specialism. Evidently this is a cause for concern, as the president of the British Association of Aesthetics and Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), Fazel Fatah, highlighted: “The public doesn't know who's the real surgeon and who's the fake surgeon”, he said. “Britain is a sufficiently advanced country not to allow non-qualified people to operate on the public. You have to be qualified to be an electrician and I think it has to be a definition in law of what a surgeon is.”
“You can just spend half a day learning about it. You don't have to be a surgeon to carry out surgical procedures, which is laughable. Some dentists are known to have put implants in.”
He said “the blurring of the line between cosmetic (procedures) and cosmetic surgery” has contributed to the problem over the past few years. “Some clinics start with Botox and fillers and lasers, then they start branching out into simple surgical procedures and there is nothing to stop them”, he added.
Have You Been Injured As A Result Of Cosmetic Surgery Negligence?
Cosmetic surgery carries a number of risks, from health complications, disfigurement to death. That is why it is important to use a surgeon you trust, as it is vital you are confident in your surgeon's ability.
However, as this article reveals, there are a number of incompetent surgeons ready to carry out procedures on patients. If you have been one such patient and have been injured as a result of cosmetic surgery negligence, you need to speak to a solicitor about seeking compensation.
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