Over a fifth of people undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK are unaware of the risks associated with the procedure, new research has found.
The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) conducted the research as part of its new campaign, Think Over Before You Make Over, launched yesterday (19th February).
The body, a professional association for Plastic Surgeons in the UK, also discovered several other trends in the industry which raise cause for concern.
They reported that nearly a quarter of patients (24%) are not checking their surgeon’s credentials before going in for a procedure and a further one in five (22%) aren’t clear on what the potential outcomes of the procedure will be before going in for it. Worryingly, an additional 27% are also unaware of the aftercare available if something were to go wrong.
The findings are the result of a major national study by BAPRAS into cosmetic surgery attitudes and how people go about cosmetic surgery procedures. The Think Over Before You Make Over has been launched in response to what the body says is an ‘urgent need’ to protect cosmetic surgery patients from making uninformed and unsafe choices.
“These figures are incredibly worrying to see,” said Solicitor Fiona Hedges, who helps victims of cosmetic surgery negligence at Clear Law. “The large numbers reported in this study show there is a clear need to raise awareness of the dangers associated with cosmetic surgery procedures. One in five people are effectively undergoing cosmetic surgery with their eyes closed, unaware of the many risks involved.
“We have seen an increasing number of patients contacting us over recent years with cases of cosmetic surgery negligence and we have long been calling for greater regulation of the industry to protect patients.
“This new campaign from BAPRAS is one that we fully support and I hope that it will make people considering having cosmetic surgery fully aware of all the risks involved.”