ADVICE
Timing of surgery
Undergoing cosmetic surgery can be stressful, and surgery should not be planned during times of high activity or emotional upheaval. Your surgeon may have to ask some rather personal questions about your life in order to explore whether the timing is right for you. Patients who go into surgery feeling preoccupied or pressured by other matters may face a more difficult recovery.
Getting support
Find a friend or relative to accompany you through your journey as a patient. Choose someone who is supportive of your reasons for seeking cosmetic surgery. Rely on your support person or your surgeon to help you through the difficult times, and try to focus on the reasons why you have decided to have surgery in the first place.
If others in your life are not supportive of your reasons for seeking cosmetic surgery, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends you have a pre-prepared response such as “it is something I have had done for myself, and I am very happy with it, thank you”.
Adjusting to change
Minor changes is body self image, even welcome ones like those following cosmetic surgery, can take some getting used to, and you should prepare for a period whilst you learn to accept your new body image as your own.
Examine your motivation
If you are considering cosmetic surgery, you must be honest with yourself. Exactly why are you considering it? What are your goals for surgery and what do you expect surgery to do for you? Is it reasonable or likely that a change in your appearance will radically change your life?
Ensure you are not having surgery to please someone else. You surgery should be solely for your own benefit. Do not be influenced by others when you consider undergoing surgery.
When you consult your chosen surgeon, be honest with him or her about your motivations. Also, try to have realistic expectations and discuss these with your surgeon. No surgeon can guarantee perfect results, and you should be very wary of anyone who does.
Talking to your GP
If you feel that your concerns about your appearance result from anxiety you experience in social situations, or from problems with relationships, you might want to discuss this with your GP or another professional. You could also consider seeing a counsellor or psychologist.
Your Initial Consultation
What should you expect? I believe strongly that someone seeking a consultation about plastic surgery should expect to:
- Meet their surgeon for a relaxed, unhurried consultation.
- Be asked about any relevant medical history and be given advice as to how to optimise your health prior to surgery, such as stopping certain medications.
- Have the opportunity to discuss the treatment and be informed of potential risks or alternative treatments.
- Receive advice on traditional and modern surgical techniques.
- For many procedures you should receive an information brochure to take away to read in your own time.
- In unusual or complicated cases, it should be possible to seek the opinion of another professional colleague.
- Your dignity and privacy should be respected, with a chaperone present during intimate examinations.
- Be given the opportunity to think about things before making the decision to undergo surgery.
- Appropriate investigations will be arranged if necessary.
- You should be given the opportunity to discuss your anaesthetic and be anaesthetised by a Consultant Anaesthetist.
- You will be given advice on aftercare prior to your discharge from hospital.
- Discuss your full medical history. Beware of a surgeon who doesn’t ask you details regarding your medical history, social and family lives.
- Ask him or her about the qualifications they hold, how many procedures they have carried out, and how many patients needed revision surgery. Asking for ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs of other patients who have had your chosen procedure will also give you information about the surgeon’s work.
Preparing for Surgery
The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) recommend the 5 C’s Checklist.
These are well worth remembering:
- Think about the CHANGE you want to see.
- CHECK out potential surgeons.
- Have a thorough CONSULTATION.
- COOL off before you commit to surgery.
- CARE about your aftercare.
Good advice on how to choose your cosmetic surgeon is available on on the BAPRAS website courtesy of Mr Simon Kay, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, and I would echo his advice given here.
BAPRAS have produced an excellent series of information guides which can be found here. Additional advice & information is available on the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) website. They have produced their Consumer Safety Guidelines.
BAAPS also gives additional advice about aesthetic surgical procedures here.
The Department of Health has produced two documents which are well worth reading. Both give good advice to anyone considering cosmetic surgery. They are Information for Patients and Considering Cosmetic Surgery?
Before deciding on the facility you will have you surgery in, consult the Care Quality Commission website, to see how that institution performed when assessed for standards of care.
Recently the DOH has published a report on the regulation of the cosmetic surgery industry. It highlights the vast variation in standards throughout the industry and paints a shocking picture of the low standards of some providers.
EPOD found that nearly three quarters (70%) of clinics in the sector operate effectively unregulated, that 8 out of 10 (79%) of providers offering complex surgeries such as breast reduction do not perform these anywhere near enough to maintain an appropriate skill set and that a third (32%) do not even allow patients a ‘cooling off’ period when they book procedures. Less than half (44%) of operating theatres were properly equipped to perform surgery and one in ten of the clinics actually ceased to exist between being identified and being approached.
After Your Surgery
Nobody understands better than us the emotional and physical changes a patient goes through following cosmetic or reconstructive surgery. For that reason, providing exceptional patient aftercare is a main priority for us.
Our experienced medical team provide comprehensive after-care for as long as it is needed at no extra cost. You will be given an emergency contact number, which you’re welcome to call around the clock, all year round. You will receive follow-up appointments to assess your recovery and give you the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.
Although highly unlikely, if you experience any medical complications as a result of your procedure, corrective surgery can be arranged.
Demetrius and his team have been treating cosmetic and reconstructive surgery patients since 2007. Please have a look at our reviews to see how satisfied our customers are with the service we provide.