How do I find a reputable breast reduction surgeon?

This is vitally important. This is where you need to spend some time trying to find the right surgeon for you. What you are aiming for is a shortlist of three to four surgeons who you can sift through to find the right one.

So, where do you start? You can ask your GP: he or she will be happy to recommend a surgeon to you. As this procedure is one of the few cosmetic procedures which the NHS may pay for then he/she will be able to refer you to a surgeon.

If you are thinking of applying to the NHS for help then your GP is your first port of call.

If you are looking to obtain treatment as a private patient then you will have to spend some time checking out different surgeons. What you want is to find a highly qualified and experienced surgeon who you can trust and feel comfortable with.

You will need to investigate clinics/private hospitals and surgeons.

You can do this in various ways. You can contact professional medical organisations such as BAPRAS or BAAPS. These two organisations are the most highly regarded in the world. It is very difficult to gain membership and in fact, takes many years to do so. If your surgeon is a member of either of these then you can be assured that he/she is amongst the very best in the world.

The General Medical Council or GMC is another good place to try. They too are a highly respected organisation and hold the Specialist Register of Plastic Surgery. Check to see if your surgeon is listed on this register. Also contact The British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons.

You can also check to see if your surgeon has FRCS (Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons) after his/her name. Ideally your surgeon will have this after their name, will be a member of BAAPS or BAPRAS and, hold or have held an NHS consultant post.

If you are thinking of going abroad for surgery then apply the same rules as you would to finding a UK based surgeon. There are additional things to consider such as ‘board certification’ and access to your surgeon. Visit our section on ‘Can I have breast reduction surgery in another country?’ for further information.

Other useful resources include talking to others who have had this surgery and the internet. When using the internet bear in mind that there are thousands of cosmetic surgery websites. Try to sift through the good from the not so good or the ones that are only interested in making money from cosmetic surgery.

A few good sites to try are The Consulting Room, Cosmetic Surgery Consultants, Private Healthcare UK and BUPA.

Please bear in mind that there are many practitioners who profess to be cosmetic surgeons but are in fact under qualified or not even surgeons at all. Again, choose your surgeon carefully.

Be wary of clinics or hospitals which offer ‘free’ consultations. Nothing in life is free and there is usually a catch. Also, some clinics have ‘non-refundable deposits’. What this means is you will be charged a fee if you change your mind. This, in effect, puts pressure on your to go ahead with the surgery. Be cautious about these and ‘special offers’ or ‘bargains’.

Breast Reduction Surgery Guide Index:

COSMETIC SURGERY TREATMENTS

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