A well respected plastic surgeon who is based in New Jersey recently suggested that people can help themselves more by ensuring they seek out properly qualified practitioners.
While Dr. Richard D’Amico welcomed a UK report into the PIP breast implant scandal, he believes many women can be easily duped by unscrupulous and unqualified cosmetic surgeons; or people posing as such.
Referring to the findings in the NHS report, Dr. D’Amico told reporters: “I would hope that the findings of this report won’t lull potential breast-augmentation patients into a false sense of security. Quality implants are only one component of a successful procedure. Only board-certified surgeons with the credentials and experience to ensure the patient’s welfare should perform breast augmentation surgery.”
Dr. D’Amico who is also a board member and past president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) added: “The news of PIP implants’ lack of toxicity is somewhat encouraging news for women with these implants (which were never available in the U.S.). However, the implants were shown to be twice as likely to rupture as other brands.
“It is worth noting that the implants came under scrutiny based on reports from plastic surgeons that the implants were not holding up the way they should.”
While Dr. D’Amico is suggesting that women are at risk when getting treatment he does emphasise in the light of the PIP scandal that they get as much information as possible about breast and other operations and the surgeon that will carry out the treatment.
Such operations are not cheap, and when the PIP problem became news, many women were refused treatment to have the implants removed by their private clinics. Consequently the NHS was forced to pick up the tab.
What’s more with the cost of treatment being high in the UK, many women often look abroad for cheaper alternatives. Cosmetic tourism is a growth industry which concerns Dr. D’Amico. He commented: “Even the most advanced medical technology is only as valuable as the skills and experience of the physician using it. Potential patients of any medical procedure should take the time to find a trained and able surgeon.”