Cosmetic Surgery: 10 Ways on How to Find Good Clinics

In the wake of Sir Bruce Keogh’s Cosmetic Industry review and the recent PIP Breast Implant scandal, we decided to put together a blog post all about how people looking into treatments and procedures can do so safely. Have a look at our guide to finding reputable cosmetic surgery clinics.
Finding a good clinic can be hard amongst all the hard-sells and promises.
1.Take YOUR Time
Regardless of which clinic you end up choosing, make sure you are choosing to do it for yourself. Cosmetic surgery can significantly help people but needs to be done well and for the right reasons.
It is also very important to give yourself breathing space and approach any procedure carefully. You don’t want to rush. If you have an event or time frame in mind that is influencing how quickly you may want it, discuss this with the doctor or surgeon who can work with your goals carefully and professionally.
We do not pressure our patients. Instead we urge patients to consider their motivations and expected outcomes as part of the decision process. We pride ourselves on our ethics.
2. Realistic Expectations
A good clinic will set out realistic expectations that suit you! It is important for people to know that there are a range of factors at play when you have a procedure which may affect the results. Each body reacts differently. It is important to bear this in mind when envisioning the final result. It is important to choose an experienced and qualified practitioner in order to achieve the results you want, whilst minimising the risk of complications.
3. Cost
It is important to look at costs but it is more important to be cautious and not let your decision be determined by cost. It is surprising to see how people can risk their safety and long-term health by opting for cut-price procedures. It is your only body and deserves a good practitioner. What may seem like a good price to begin with may incur hidden costs and if things go wrong you may have to spend a lot more correcting mistakes. A good clinic will offer support to you beyond the procedure itself.
4. Aftercare Promise
A good clinic will offer some sort of aftercare promise, whether stated explicitly or not. This ensures that the patient is taken care of after the procedure. A bad clinic may leave you completely alone afterwards and offer little advice. The PIP Breast Implant Scandal taught many people a hard lesson when their clinics chose to turn their back on them. Please note we never used PIP Breast Implants.
5. Going Abroad
Surgery abroad can leave patients with fewer options when it comes to recovery and aftercare. Foreign countries may not be subject to the same standards of care and any complications could be difficult to manage in another language. At a reputable clinic you should be seeing an experienced practitioner who has a good track record with his/her patients. Follow-ups form part of the procedure and this is made considerably more difficult when doing so abroad, if at all.
6. Clinic/Doctor/Surgeon Experience
A doctor or surgeon should be regularly performing the procedure in question. You can always ask about their experience at the clinic. Additionally, a sign of a good clinic is that they have a long-standing reputation. We have been providing top-level care for 30 years.
7. Possible Risks & Complications
Make sure you ask your clinic about the possible complications and side effects, including how often complications happen and how the doctor/surgeon is able to handle them. In doing so ask if there are any costs associated with complications.
8. Exercise, Smoking and Alcohol
The downtime involved in many procedures often means that exercise, smoking and alcohol are just some of the things you will have to be careful of whilst recovering. In many cases, they are to be completely avoided soon after a procedure as they can increase the risk of infection as well as detrimentally affecting recovery and the results.
9. Social Media
Social media is fast becoming a crucial tool for businesses. It allows patients, prospective or otherwise, to interact with medical professionals and clinics like never before in a transparent manner. Have a look at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Youtube accounts to get a better feel of how a clinic wants to be known.
10. Who Are You Seeing?
Consultation charges vary across the industry. Patient advisers are a great source of information at a good clinic and have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Doctors and surgeons are giving their medical opinion, which may cost, especially if it is a diagnostic consultation.  However, don’t let this put you off – after all, you’ll be seeing a specialist.
We allow patients to see our patient advisers anytime at no cost – something that will be made clear to you. Many patients like to talk and gather as much information as possible so they are very much a necessary part of how a good clinic functions. We offer a fully refundable deposit (refunded upon arrival at the clinic for the consultation) for most of our Doctor consultations and only charge a small consultation fee for others.