Cosmetic Surgery Review

Aggressive advertising used by providers of cosmetic surgery should be curbed, an interim report of the industry has said. The review comes following the Pip scandal in which 50,000 British women were given faulty implants.

There has been strong support for a ban on cut price, time limited, two for one discounts and aggressive selling in the sector. Offering cosmetic operations as competition prizes is also to be banned according to a wide ranging review of the regulation of cosmetic surgery being led by Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS Medical adviser.

The review saw 180 patients, industry representatives and members of the public interviewed as part of their consultations. The findings called for tighter restrictions on the sales and advertising of cosmetic procedures as well as a greater enforcement of existing legislation.

There have also been calls for a ban on free consultations, which puts pressure on patients to decide there and then. Patients should also be given a calling off period by introducing a two stage consent process as well as being given thorough information on the procedure and its side effects, including pictures of scars and bruising.