cosmetic appeal: finding the right surgeon
by Sarah Myers
what can I do if I'm not happy with the results?
The first thing to do if are not happy with your experience is to take the matter up with the surgeon who carried out the work. Your surgeon may offer to correct the work with further surgery or to return the fees you paid. Another option would be to ask a different surgeon to look at the surgery you've had done and check whether you have cause for complaint. A reputable surgeon will be able to say if what has happened is a recognised complication or limitation of surgery that should have been discussed with you at a consultation, or if the surgeon was at fault.
For example, in a proportion of people who have breast enlargements, the scar that forms around implants may tighten, making the breast go rounder and firmer. According to Douglas McGeorge, this is a genuine limitation of healing that will affect a proportion of people. It should be identified as a risk before surgery, but it doesn't mean the surgery wasn't carried out correctly.
If the surgeon giving a second opinion says your procedure hasn't been done professionally, they might be prepared to correct the work themselves or to refer you to another surgeon known to be competent in doing so. Except for a few rare cases, most problems in cosmetic surgery can be sorted out amicably with a good outcome.
If you are not happy with the way in which your clinic or surgeon has dealt with your concerns then you may wish to take the matter further. The Healthcare Commission can take action against a hospital, clinic or salon if they think the establishment breaches the standards it should meet. The Advertising Standards Authority can advise about how to complain about misleading or offensive advertising. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority can help with complaints about prescription-only medicines such as Botox or about implants (for example, breast implants which are regulated as medical devices) that have not performed as well as they should. (See help and info for contact details for all these organisations).
(July 2004, resources updated Februrary 2005)
