A leading cosmetic surgeon in Britain is warning people to be careful when going abroad for plastic surgery. Mr. Dalvi Humzah believes that many of the surgeons operating outside of the UK are doing so illegally.
His comments follow the recent unfortunate death in the US of a British woman who was killed after being injected with industrial silicone by an unqualified individual. The lady in question went to the United States as a result of an advert enticing people to take part in the growing phenomenon of medical tourism.
Mr. Humzah, who runs a practice in the Midland is trying to raise awareness of the risks of cosmetic surgery in general, and using possibly illegal practitioners in particular. He told reporters: “Cosmetic surgery is surgery – no matter how small it may appear it should be done by a fully trained surgeon and in the right clinical environment using the appropriate techniques.
“It is important that the facility where a procedure is being done is the correct environment for the specific treatment and certainly not a hotel bedroom. The use of injecting silicone for buttock augmentation in banned in both the UK and USA.”
He added: “If more young women decide to take an enormous risk in pursuit of a smoother, rounder bottom, it is vital they seek professional advice from a fully qualified surgeon on the best treatment available.”
Mr. Humzah is a member of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS). Forty of the members have also formed a new group called Liberate which aims to give consumers proper information including ensuring they are able to see a properly qualified doctor and receive proper after care treatment.
Liberate has also produced a new slogan – ‘BYPASS – Before you Pay, Ask to see a Surgeon.’
Britain is not immune to possible illegal and unqualified practices. A spokesman for Liberate, John Pereira said: “Cosmetic surgery is a medical surgical procedure and it should be treated as such. Research into the background and qualifications of the surgeon is critical for patient safety. Even in the UK, any doctor regardless of their qualifications can call themselves a cosmetic surgeon and legally perform surgery.”