What you need to know before deciding on cosmetic surgery

A national public education campaign aims to increase patient understanding of the risks of cosmetic surgery.

The Australian cosmetic surgery industry is in the midst of sweeping reform, including rules pertaining to cosmetic surgery advertising, mandatory GP referrals and psychological screenings, cooling-off periods and informed consent, and changes to who can call themselves a “surgeon”.

The catalyst for these changes was a spate of shocking media reports into unsafe practices and medical misconduct of certain ‘cosmetic cowboys’. A subsequent independent review of the cosmetic surgery sector, commissioned by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) (the medical regulator) and the Medical Board of Australia (MBA), found unsafe practices, misleading advertising and a need for minimum standards on qualifications.

Part of the reform is a public education campaign to increase awareness of cosmetic surgery risks and complications, to stop the under-reporting of safety issues, and to strengthen patients’ voices.

Know the Risks

The Know the Risks campaign by the Department of Health and Aged Care highlights the inherent risks of cosmetic surgery and the importance of research using reliable sources of information to make an informed decision about your procedure.

The Department of Health and Aged Care website provides a range of reliable information and resources, such as a patient safety checklist and question guide, to help you make an informed decision and get the right information about your care.

Choose a qualified practitioner

It is important to choose a qualified medical practitioner who is skilled and experienced in performing your surgery. Your practitioner must be registered with the Medical Board of Australia. You can check if someone is registered on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) register of practitioners. You can also see their qualifications and if there are conditions or limitations on procedures they can perform. You should also talk to your GP for advice or a referral.

Choose a licensed facility

Make sure you check that your surgery will take place in a licensed facility. All states and territories restrict where cosmetic surgeries can take place. This is for patient health and safety. In some jurisdictions, certain surgeries must be done in licensed facilities. Check the requirements in the state or territory where you are planning to have your cosmetic surgery. If something doesn’t feel right about the location of your procedure, ask further questions, or cancel your appointment.

Understand the risks

Every cosmetic surgery involves risks. It is important to talk to your medical practitioner to understand:

• what will happen during the surgery
• the risks and possible complications – including any that may be unique to your health history
• what results you can expect and how long the results will last.

Understand your recovery plan Recovery and aftercare can be as important for your health and wellbeing as the quality of the surgery itself. If there are complications with your recovery, you should know who to contact and who will support you. Ask your practitioner to give you a plan for your recovery and aftercare, particularly if your surgery requires general anaesthesia. If they cannot do this, you should go somewhere else for your surgery.