New guidance on cosmetic surgery has been introduced across Merseyside
Private health clinics are using “ruthless” sales tactics to lure in prospective plastic surgery patients, leading doctors have said.
The Royal College of Surgeons urged potential patients to “think carefully” before undergoing any procedure as it launched an online tool to help people make an informed choice about cosmetic surgery.
The new portal offers advice on how to choose the right surgeon and hospital, explain the risks of undergoing surgery, and possible complications to consider.
The site also includes a section on key questions to ask a surgeon before consenting to an operation.
The RCS also plans to publish a register of certified surgeons so people can check that their doctors have the appropriate training, experience and insurance to practise in the UK.
Last year over 51,000 cosmetic procedures were performed in the private sector in England. Yet patients often find it difficult to choose a suitable surgeon and to obtain trustworthy information about the risks involved.
Dr Rizwan Alvi from Stethix Clinic on Knights Road in Liverpool said: "If you make recommendations then you're leaving practitioners to decide whether to follow those recommendations and to what level they're going to follow them."
He believes it is a good step towards reducing the amount of botched procedures we see across the Merseyside region. Calling it the "capital of cosmetic surgery in the UK".