Suffering To Be Beautiful

Few consult their GP before plumping for cosmetic surgery.

Only around one in eight people consult their GP before deciding to have cosmetic surgery or treatments, shows new Which? research.

Although the cosmetic surgery industry will have increased 110 per cent by 2011, the lack of independent, user-friendly advice poses a serious problem, says the consumer champion - particularly if people don't think to consult their GP.

When Which? interviewed people who were considering, or who had already undertaken cosmetic treatment, it found that only 15 per cent of people who were planning surgery, and just 11 per cent of those who'd already had it, had consulted their own doctor.

People were more likely to have asked friends and family, or to have relied heavily on the internet and gazines, which carry much more advertising than impartial information.

Of those who did visit their GP, four in five found it helpful and three in four found the advice balanced. Of those who had visited their GP and then had surgery, three in four said their GP's advice proved to be accurate.

When those who hadn't chosen to visit their GP were asked why, reasons included negative experiences with their doctor in the past or even being told by others that it wouldn't be helpful.

Which? has set up an online guide - www.which.co.uk/cosmetic to provide impartial advice so doctors can refer their patients to it and people thinking about cosmetic treatment can fully research their decision.

Frances Blunden, health campaigner, Which?, says, "It is quite shocking that people will trust adverts in magazines but won't consult their GP before they decide to have cosmetic treatments. It's not a decision to take lightly, particularly as, in some cases, people will undergo a major operation which obviously involves risks that should be talked through with their own, impartial doctor first.

"We've set up an online guide, which.co.uk/cosmetic, where people can get down-to-earth advice about different cosmetic treatments - what they involve, what the medical terms mean, and what the risks are. We hope that GPs will refer their patients to this site, as well."

www.which.co.uk/cosmetic covers the most popular procedures and their risks. It also includes how to check out clinics and surgeons before committing to anything, situations when people should simply 'walk away' and what to do if something should go wrong.

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