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The Big Story 28 Jan 05 : Government controls announced More news in brief 16 Aug 05 : Three new treatments for short-sightedness 5 Jul 05 : Dangers for cosmetic tourists 30 Mar 05 : Oldies demand cosmetic surgery 28 Mar 05 : Singer loses 100lb after stomach staple operation 18 Feb 05 : Own-tissue implants 15 Feb 05 : First cosmetic surgery clinic opens on Scottish high street 14 Feb 05 : Laser surgeon struck off 3 Feb 05 : Mirror of the future 29 Jan 05 : Risks from dermal fillers? 17 Jan 05 : Magazine on plastic surgery 6 Dec 04 : Concerns about Lasik eye surgery
Government controls announced Recent reports by the Healthcare Commission have highlighted areas of concern in the booming field of cosmetic surgery. In the UK, more than £200 million a year is spent on cosmetic surgery, but over £1 million a year is paid in compensation to clients who are unhappy with the results of their treatment, and the number of complaints is rising.
Better pre-treatment information Far more complaints focus on the quality of the results than on surgical incompetence. Too often, patients are subjected to hard-sell and given exaggerated promises of what treatment can achieve, so they end up with unrealistic expectations. The new controls will introduce a code of practice specifying what information patients must be given before treatment, and give guidelines for acceptable advertising by cosmetic practitioners.
Proper qualifications for doctors There are around 600 surgeons working in cosmetic surgery, but fewer than half have specialist qualifications. Some have expertise in other areas of surgery, but no training specific to cosmetic procedures. The new controls will ban doctors from performing cosmetic operations like nose-reshaping, face lifts or tummy tucks unless they have trained in the speciality for five years.
Regulation for minor procedures The government is also worried about treatments like botox, dermal fillers and chemical peels, widely offered, but totally unregulated. All these procedures are safe if done properly, but do carry some risk. Further work is going on to produce minimum standards of practice, and from 2006 the Healthcare Commission will start to regulate providers of non-surgical interventions. · Read full story at Plastic surgery laws go under the knife, 28 Jan 05. · More details of the government report, plus information for people considering cosmetic treatments, can be found at the Healthcare Commission website.
Three new treatments for short-sightedness Safer laser treatment Problems over the safety of laser treatments has led to some clinics being closed (see 6 Dec 04 : Concerns about Lasik eye surgery), but in July 2005 a new technique was presented to the Royal College of Ophthalmology. Intralasik uses state-of-the-art computer and laser technology to cut the corneal flap very precisely. Results have been good, but so far the treatment is only available privately for vision correction, and costs around £2,000 per eye. Sight correction while you sleep Ortho K lenses are gas-permeable, individually fitted lenses worn overnight. They alter the shape of the cornea while you sleep, so that you wake next morning with perfect vision. The correction lasts for at least a day, but the lenses must be worn during sleep for at least six hours. They are unsuitable for people with diabetes, high blood pressure or very weak sight, and there has been no research into the long-term safety of these lenses, which must be prescribed by a qualified practitioner. Lens that halts myopia Over time, imperfections in the eye lead to a gradual overall deterioration in eyesight, but a new lens under clinical trial is tailor-made to correct imperfections and prevent further deterioration. In the future, these lenses may be used by people whose sight is likely to worsen, to prevent myopia developing in the first place. · Read full story at Four eyes good, two eyes better, 16 Aug 05.
Dangers for cosmetic tourists The rising cost of cosmetic treatments in the UK is sending more than 10,000 Britons a year overseas in search of cheaper surgery. People travel to Europe, South Africa, Brazil or Malaysia, to make savings of hundreds of pounds on face lifts, tummy tucks and other treatments. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons warns that standards of surgery abroad may be lower than in the UK, and patients could need follow-up treatment on return. · Read full story at Cosmetic surgery holidays warning, 5 Jul 05.
Oldies demand cosmetic surgery The numbers of patients in their 70s and 80s wanting cosmetic treatment has increased, say members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). Douglas McGeorge, President-Elect of BAAPS, has performed a face lift on an 81-year-old. One reason for the increase is that older people are becoming more affluent, and see retirement as a time when they can make real changes in their lives, including their appearance. · Read full story at Grandparents turn to cosmetic ops, 30 Mar 05.
Singer loses 100lb after stomach staple operation Operatic soprano Deborah Voigt, 44, had to have her costumes made in size 30 before she took drastic action to shed 100lb and have her stomach stapled. The gastric bypass operation, which surgically shrank her stomach, is only used as a last resort. Now a sleek size 14 and still losing weight, Voigt returned to singing seven weeks after surgery. · Read full story at Gastric surgery brings career revival for the soprano rejected by Covent Garden, 28 Mar 05.
Own-tissue implants American scientists are working to produce flesh grown from bone marrow, which could one day be used in reconstructive surgery instead of the saline and silicone implants and other fillers used today. The main aim of the research is to improve prospects for cancer patients, but the same techniques could also be used for cosmetic work in future. · Read full story at Own tissue breast implant, 18 Feb 05.
First cosmetic surgery clinic opens on Scottish high street A walk-in cosmetic treatment clinic had opened in Glasgow city centre. The clinic-cum-shop offers Botox, laser hair removal and skin resurfacing, and chemical peels. The clinic is staffed by surgeons, GPs and trained nurses, and patients have come from as far away as the Isle of Skye. · Read full story at First cosmetic surgery clinic comes to the high street, 15 Feb 05.
Laser surgeon struck off Dr Fayez Mahfouz of the London Cosmetic Laser Centre was struck off the medical register in December 2004 because he failed to carry out laser treatments properly, did not provide proper after care, and made inappropriate claims about the results of treatment. Patients who tried to claim compensation then discovered that Dr Mahfouz did not have professional insurance. · Read full story at Patients left in lurch by doctor's lack of insurance, 14 Feb 05.
Mirror of the future French scientists have invented a computer-powered mirror, which uses self-reported data, plus information gleaned from spy-cameras around the house, to produce a 'reflection' that shows the awful truth of how an individual's appearance will change over five years if they carry on with their unhealthy habits. The weight gain, ravaged complexion and wrinkles in store will be displayed at the touch of a button. The idea is to encourage people to change their ways by shocking them with a glimpse into the future. · Read full story at Mirror mirror on the wall, who'll be fattest of them all? 3 Feb 05.
Risks from dermal fillers? The Healthcare Commission has asked experts for advice on the safety of dermal fillers made from human, animal or bird tissue. The committee of experts will assess the risk of patients treated with these fillers becoming infected with hepatitis, variant CJD, and other tissue- or blood-borne viruses. · Read full story at Cosmetic injections may carry CJD risk, 29 Jan 05.
Magazine on plastic surgery In the USA, a huge rise in the numbers of people having treatments – nearly 9 million in 2003, a rise of one-third on the previous year – has led to the launch of New Beauty, a quarterly magazine devoted entirely to cosmetic enhancement. · Read full story at Nip and tuck gets its own magazine, 17 Jan 05.
Concerns about Lasik eye surgery There are growing concerns about the safety of Lasik surgery, with two American lawsuits alleging that the laser equipment is unreliable and could result in long-term damage to eyesight. Some clinics in the UK have recently stopped offering this type of treatment. · Read full story at Eye Surgery Deemed to Risky for NHS, 6 Dec 04.