Cosmetic surgery of any kind comes with a variety of risks and complications. While the benefits can be significant, it’s important for patients to understand exactly what they’re getting into.
If you’ve decided to undergo surgery, there’s a number of factors you’ll want to consider. Here, you’ll discover just 5 things you should look out for when thinking of going under the knife.
Cosmetic surgery choice: what you should consider
- Ensure you choose a registered clinic
According to official guidelines by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the first thing patients should do is ensure the clinic is registered. This comes after the CQC recently discovered one in five beauty clinics are unsafe.
Beauty clinics have begun to expand their services, with many delving into the world of cosmetic surgery. Unfortunately, the majority of these clinics are not adequately trained to provide the cosmetic services on offer. For this reason, patients should always ensure they choose a private, registered clinic which specialises in cosmetic surgery procedures.
- Is a cosmetic surgery consultation offered?
All reputable cosmetic surgery clinics should provide a consultation with the surgeon who will be carrying out the procedure. This gives you the opportunity to meet the surgeon and ask any questions you may have regarding the procedure.
Your plastic surgeon will also talk through your options and advise you on any alternative procedures which may be better suited. They should be able to show you before and afters of previous patients who have undergone similar procedures so you can see the results that can be achieved and ensure you’re happy with the surgeon’s work.
Patients are advised to watch out for free consultations. The majority of respected clinics or plastic surgeons do charge a consultation fee. They also won’t charge you high cancellation fees or hefty deposits.
- Understanding the risks and complications
An important thing to consider before undergoing any operation is the risks and complications. All surgeries come with some level of risks. You can reduce the likelihood of suffering complications by ensuring you choose an experienced surgeon. However, even the best plastic surgeons can’t always avoid all risks and complications, such as the pain and discomfort felt after the procedure. It is essential that you are fully informed before making the decision to go ahead at this time.
- Be wary of going abroad
A lot of people are tempted to head abroad for their cosmetic surgery. While it may much cheaper in other countries, unfortunately the sector isn’t always as heavily regulated as it is in the UK. This means there’s a lot of inexperienced surgeons carrying out cosmetic procedures in foreign countries.
Going under the knife is a serious commitment and you need to ensure you can trust the skills of the cosmetic surgeon carrying out the procedure.
- Special offers
You’ll find that some clinics provide special offers. These are often given in the form of discounts if you book the procedure the same day. Be wary of these offers as they could be associated with lesser skilled surgeons. Highly experienced surgeons will never need to offer special discounts to patients as their results speak for themselves.
As you can see, there’s a number of factors you should think about before going under the knife. The first step is to book a consultation with an experienced plastic surgeon to discuss what you’re hoping to achieve.