Check these risks before booking cosmetic surgery

People considering cosmetic procedures should check the practitioner’s qualifications, the clinic’s facilities and staffing, and their own health before booking treatment, Yle reports. Antti Mikkola, chair of the Finnish Plastic Surgery Association, says every injection and surgical procedure can cause complications.

Questions surrounding the safety of plastic surgery and other aesthetic procedures have followed the death of Olivia Oras. Yle asked Mikkola what clients should consider before making an appointment at a clinic.

Injections can cause allergic reactions, bleeding and infections if bacteria enter the skin because sterile procedures have not been followed. Liposuction and other operations also carry risks including wound reopening, inflammation, postoperative bleeding, unsatisfactory results and blood clots.

1. Check the practitioner’s qualifications

Mikkola says plastic surgery is not generally dangerous when performed by an appropriately trained specialist, such as a specialist in plastic surgery.

The qualifications of healthcare professionals can be checked through the Julkiterhikki service of Finland’s licensing and supervisory authority. The service also shows whether a doctor has been subject to restrictions on their professional activities.

Injection treatments may also be administered by people other than doctors. Botulinum toxin, also known by the brand name Botox, may be injected by a doctor or a licensed healthcare professional such as a nurse, public health nurse or midwife.

Anyone may inject other treatments that are not classified as medicines, Mikkola says. Fillers are usually made from hyaluronic acid, which is not classified as a medicine in Finland.

2. Consider your health and take time to decide

A patient’s ability to withstand a procedure also affects its safety. Mikkola says people who are seriously ill, have multiple illnesses or are significantly overweight should not undergo surgery without carefully considering the risks.

Even a generally healthy person should not rush into an operation. After a consultation, patients should take time to consider the decision, especially in the case of major surgery, rather than immediately booking an appointment for the following week.

The relationship between the patient and surgeon is also important. Patients should feel that the surgeon understands them and the result they want. Communication should be open and clear on both sides.

3. Understand the procedure

Before treatment, the provider should explain what the procedure involves, what will be done, its possible risks, the recovery period and how the patient should act during recovery. Patients should also be told when to contact the provider if something unusual occurs.

4. Inspect the facilities

Clients should familiarise themselves with the provider’s facilities in advance and check that they are appropriate.

Injection treatments can be carried out in consultation rooms. Larger plastic surgery procedures involving local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia must be performed in operating-room conditions, following sterile principles. Staff must wear protective clothing.

It can be difficult for an ordinary person to assess the quality of a facility, but Mikkola says it is also revealing whether the provider presents the premises openly. Procedures should not be carried out in spaces that are too cramped.

5. Make sure there is enough staff

There must be enough staff for the procedure. If a patient is placed under general anaesthesia, an anaesthesia nurse must be present throughout the operation. An anaesthesiologist must also be immediately available to enter the operating room if something unexpected happens.

Some procedures involve large doses of sedative medication administered directly into a vein together with local anaesthesia. These procedures also require sufficient staff to monitor the patient’s condition, blood pressure, oxygen level, consciousness and pain, and to administer additional medication when needed.

Other staff members perform the procedure itself. Mikkola says even routine procedures must be prepared for an acute emergency, which requires enough people to provide assistance.

He stressed that he was discussing the risks of plastic surgery in general. The exact circumstances of the case that has received media attention are not yet known.