The real UK Plastic Surgery Forum

26/07/2022

How far should my scar extend and why ?

Whilst researching for face or body procedures , you’ll notice different scar patterns and different surgeons selling their various unique methods

But What has the patient community past experience taught us ?

Having been in the midst of a large Facebook community with over 40000 patients and with regular polls and surveys being carried out , we have managed to learn quite a lot about how the size of the scar is marketed vs how this translates to actual patient satisfaction

As a no 1 rule , we have learned that there is a definitive formula for scar length which is directly proportionate with the amount of excess skin - HOWEVER
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It is now a statistical fact✅ that the most commonly complained about procedures are where the scar has NOT been extended beyond a limited point and whilst the short scar approach might be less noticeable , it is vitally important to weigh up the benefit of this approach vs limitation of results

By having an arguably more invasive procedure which takes more skin ; more tissue ; allows more access for things like muscle tightening and suture anchoring ; This might ultimately have the potential for a more dramatic result ( vs the risk of extra time in surgery ; complication rate ; pain and swelling management etc )

Remember to also think about blending the newly refurbished skin and tissue to the neighbouring virgin tissue next to it

There is ALWAYS a place for less - But Less is not always more !

I am in the business of data collection from REAL patients and if you’d like to book a consultation with me to be assessed by an independent Surgeon or two and ultimately to help you with your shortlist ; please get in touch - link in bio

24/06/2022

🙈Who said researching facelifts was easy ?

🧐It is so complicated because there are so many different techniques /methods /terminology and it’s not always easy to find out which will serve your particular anatomy the best -

when you’re paying a lot of money , you want to research as best you can but where to start ?

✅I’m going to be running some more interviews and also showcasing some intro operative footage to showcase some of the methods used in Smas plication; Deep plane face lifting ;Deep neck work including submandibular gland reduction. And mid face work

🥰 lucky me to be visiting some of our most esteemed expert surgeons to learn more about their techniques

✅🧐 I want to hear from you as to which topics you’d like me to cover and what you would find helpful with your own research journeys

Our research.Can only be as good as our experts allow us a privileged insight into their world and I am so very grateful for the opportunities to explore more snd yo be done to relay the information to you guys

17/06/2022

⚠️⛔️
Should adverts for cosmetic interventions /procedures carry a risk warning /pause for thought button ?

⚠️ ⛔️ similar to that featured in cigarette packets ?

We are asking for your help to make this happen please 🙏

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/617097

At 10000 signatures , the Government will respond to the petition

At 100000 signatures , they have to consider it for debate in Parliament

Your Input matters ✔️

Please please help by
💚signing ;
❤️Supporting ;
💚Sharing

11/06/2022

What are you signing up for ?

Let’s talk about Informed Consent

11/05/2022

Yesterday I had a design meeting for the new research website - We discussed Colours and the theme of black and Gold was a feature that I keep coming back to

It suggests High End ; luxury ; a little sparkle and class 👑

But in the context of a cosmetic surgery procedure -the message needs to come with caution -

Researching patients are like the proverbial magpie - We are drawn to the glittery magic presented by instagram and social media

But the black background represents the dark side of the industry and believe me when I repeat that famous William Shakespeare quote

‘All that glitters Definitely 100% most certainly is NOT Gold’

👑What do you look for when researching ?
👑Are the average results just as important as the pretties ?
👑Do you want to hear more about the surgeons less sparkly results ?
👑Would it put you off a surgeon if he or she told you and showed you their least impressive result from last year and why it was considered that way ?
( always with humility ; respect and courtesy for the patient concerned of course )
⚠️ Remember that surgery is not an exact science and results will vary depending on so many factors ; including unusual anatomical presentations - health or lifestyle influences ; genetics ; environmental history and so on

Do you agree that it’s time for instagram to show more of the real and less of the ‘top tier’ results ?

Should we make it mandatory to Take a comparison photo with the camera angles up the way not down ?

Would you have more or less respect for the surgeon who lifts the lid ?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

04/05/2022

‘A man ceases to be a beginner in any given science and becomes a master in that science when he has learned that... he is going to be a beginner all his life’… R.G Collingwood

ALSO APPLIES TO EVERY COSMETIC SURGEON worth his or her salt .Ever! The End !!

29/04/2022

Woohoo what a victory for our Dawn Knight … The biggest singular influence in this industry since the Keogh report … if you’ve not yet completed our facial procedures survey , please do so as this Data Colkection from the actual End users is instrumental in bringing about change -it is completely confidential and you are counted as a number not a name - please please support us and join me in thanking Dawn for all she has done following her own ‘botched’ facial procedure ###

Link to the survey is here https://patient-safety-matters.app.do/aesthetic-patient-safety-survey?fbclid=IwAR2xnDdcCwJo08grUeRRdKlIl25P-Q7eqpnP0E6nUeLefve8iAryfTGUXC8

Please complete to document your experience for ANY facial procedure that you have had that is not actual surgery please

A council leader has replied to an open letter from an MP which expressed concerns about plans for a new HQ building, with a letter of her own.

27/04/2022

⚠️ 🚨 Before you consult for your facelift, take some time out to do some background reading and perhaps take a look at the book by called

It is interesting to learn about how traditional facelifts simply pulled your skin across the way laterally, without giving much consideration to the actual result, save for tightening things up temporarily and often making the patient look windswept in the process.Also failing to address how much tension the skin was closed under and reporting on how this would affect longevity of results

Modern day facelifts have evolved to encompass a variety of different techniques and angles or vectors.There are different angles dependent on what the patient is looking to achieve and also taking into consideration their pre-existing anatomy.

It is common sense really to think that if you have a wide face and you pull directly across in the lateral vector, you actual broaden the face further ;whereas lifting the tissue up the way (Vertically) or Superolaterally (Up and across ), the effect is quite different

Practice at home on your own face.

🤔Which angle makes your Naso-labial folds disappear?
🤔What about your jowls?
🤔Your neck laxity?
🤔Your under eye area?
🤔What about your lateral brow/temple region?

Let me know in the comments which vector worked best

If you are like me, you will need a combination approach and so, you will need to look beyond the many ‘one-size fits all’ facelifts which are marketed so well, yet really will only suit a certain percentage of the clientele who enter the Surgeon’s office

If you are struggling to know what works for you, Book an appointment with me today to have a whatsapp assessment of your images/Video by up to 3 independent Surgeon’s





choosingafaceliftsurgeon

28/03/2022

Who can I complain to if I am not happy with my aesthetic outcome ?

Always try to keep an open dialogue with your originating surgeon where possible and especially remembering why you chose them in the first place- There will of course be exceptions to this rule ;where relationships break down or unexpected situations have occurred which have affected the trust in the relationship,but by enlarge, the originating Surgeon or clinician is your best point of contact with complaint resolution
Make sure that you have allowed the correct amount of time for swelling to subside and the healing journey to be complete-Remember that small subtle differences can continue long after the procedure and especially with energy based treatments or Rhinoplasty for example.
Ask to see the Surgeon’s revision policy (preferably before you have your procedure but at any stage in the process is acceptable thereafter) and agree a plan between you on what is acceptable and what is not achievable -Remember to be realistic and try not to compare yourself against patients with completely different starting anatomies to your own or different BMI’S ; Skin quality etc
In the event that the clinician does not agree that you have received a poor outcome aesthetically or you can not agree between you, then it may be necessary to seek a second opinion.Your surgeon may suggest someone appropriate and you should always be given the opportunity to choose an independent second opinion -Cost of any consultation is usually met by the Patient but as a gesture of goodwill, your surgeon may decide to cover the cost even though they don’t have to

If your relationship is beyond redemption and you are unfortunate enough to reach a stalemate; or the second opinion agrees that you have not had a good outcome, you may have to follow the Surgeon’s individual complaints policy -If they are CQC registered? This will be listed on their website or otherwise, the hospital where the procedure was carried out , will have an individual complaints protocol on their website

15/03/2022

****Giveaway Time****

I have 30 travel size minis of to give away as part of my countdown to launch day

I will be selling these products on my site as they are :-

❤️ Dermatology Tested
❤️SPF 50 + as minimum legal advertised and over SPF 100 ‘In Real Life’
❤️Formulated for Sensitive skin ( hypo allergenic)
❤️Australian owned and made

I first discovered the Sunsense range back in the early noughties when I spent time in Australia

I’ve always been an avid wearer of Sunscreen anyway ; but I’ve been personally wearing the Daily face product everyday for the past 20 years

There is a lot of hype surrounding more expensive brands in the industry but I’ve selected this product for my shop as my Go-To proven product

If you’d like to be sent a free travel sized Daily face , please let me know in the comments below by hitting me with a 🌞 emoji

I still need more of your First hand patient experience reviews and photographs for my new website so the full size samples will be reserved for those who have already sent in a review or are happy to do so now by WhatsApp ( link in bio )

Remember , Your photos and Reviews are completely confidential; but will be instrumental in helping future generations of patients to research and choose their Aesthetic Practitioner or Plastic Surgeon

11/03/2022

09/03/2022

Which before and after photo would sway you to visit the surgeon and why ?

Before and after photos on Instagram have become our go-to resource for finding our surgeon.But what if I told you that each of these photos is hiding an alternative story that has not been disclosed as part of the entire story?

The first photo in the series, shows an ostensibly great result.However, the lighting fails to show the fact that the scar inside the belly button had become hypertrophic and the belly button itself had stretched out requiring revision.Additionally, the scar is wonky and again , very prominent /hypertrophic in places but of course you wouldn’t know that from the patients strategically placed leggings.She went on to have a revision with another surgeon.

The second photo in the series ostensibly shows a scar which is too high (not hidden in the underwear line) and you would probably conclude that this is representative of the surgeons’ usual standard of work- so you might scroll on past.The fact of this case though, was a very diligent surgeon who encountered anatomical presentations in the patient ‘ which restricted what he could do during the primary procedure.

His ethics shone through when he suggested revision as he was not happy to leave this as the final result and the final photo in the series shows the lovely patient happy in her bikini a couple of weeks ago on holiday after her Free of charge revision.She could not be more pleased and even though she did not expect to have to undergo a correction to her procedure and to have to go back to theatre for a second time, she accepted that surgery is not an exact science and she was grateful that her surgeon stuck with her throughout the entire journey and was not happy until she was happy .

If he had not had such a robust revision policy and his moral compass was off centre, the happy ending might have never happened.

We need to be extra vigilant and ask many more questions , rather than taking photos on face value.
(Continued in comments )

08/03/2022

Happy international womens day

This year I would really like to throw the spotlight on being honest with each other

Not being afraid to show the real you in all your fragile; vulnerable; raw but Honest form

Yes we all want to present ourselves at our very best -Of course we do -We are human

But we need to stop lying to ourselves and lying to each other -Especially when it comes to aesthetics and Cosmetic procedures

Let's try to normalise bad angles and lighting ; especially with before and after photos -So that the newly researching patients are able to see Raw ; unedited ; images of what a. Cosmetic procedure can and Can NOT do

I’ll be shortly launching stage 1 of my new patient research site and I’ll be inviting you to share images which show the ‘not so rosy’ side of surgery

My gallery of photos will not just show the pretties ; you will be able to see what necrosis looks like ; what infections are the surgical site look like ; how to recognise a seroma and other complications

Crucially , you’ll be able to follow journeys through to show how the surgeon and his or her team ; managed those complications -Do you’ll be seeing a much more honest profile of each surgeon featured

Surgeons will not be able to buy their way into a good review ; or buy their way out of a bad review - but they will ALWYS be given the chance to put things right and The site will showcase and put a shining light on those who stay with you for the long haul ; taking care of you ; being accountable for their results AND their mistakes

We are all human
Let’s celebrate transparency ; honesty ;integrity

02/03/2022

What do you think of Cosmetic Surgery ‘Best Buy’ guides and awards ?

Do you hold credence to them if your surgeon has been nominated or featured?

Do you probe to find out if they had to pay to be part of the particular award scheme ; nominee list or Guide ? ( or as is more often the case ; Do you ask if they have any affiliation or pay a subscription to a sister company of the editorial or award organiser which is what gives them the springboard to be featured in the said guide or award nominees list ?)

Perhaps you run one of these Guides and you’d like to share how they are funded and if the nominees are excluded from any such subscription or affiliation services ? ( not all guides are the bad guys of course )

It is a fact that society is awash with so called ‘vanity guides' -where it is the power of our €;$; or £ which gets us 'On the list' rather than through ‘earned’ kudos

The reality is that patients are being sold the glamour and sparkle of particular clinicians and we trust that they must be at the top of their game to be featured in such accolades -

Yet the reality is often far from the truth and the system is far from transparent

This system of 'The more you pay; the more you pay’…. Surely should be more heavily policed by Advertising standards ? I’ve come across so many patients who have fallen victim to a poor cosmetic result from a clinician who gave the impression that they had kudos in the industry Because they were featured in particular editorial or awards shortlists/finalists or winners

Unfortunately whilst we are at the mercy of such a poorly regulated and policed industry ; it really is up to the patient to ‘dig deeper’

I’ve said it before … and I’ll say it again … ‘Real Patients ‘ ‘Real Results ‘ ‘ Real demonstrable experience’ is our trustworthy source of information

18/02/2022

What type of Tummy Tuck do I need for my B-shaped Belly ?
When your belly has a “waistband” in the middle, so the belly gets “divided” between the top and the bottom – it’s a B Belly. So When you stand to the side you will see prominence that looks like an upper case letter B rather than a D. This belly shape is far more common for plus size patients who might have a higher proportion of visceral fat (The dense type of fat that surrounds your organs) but it can also be present as skin in patients who have lost a large amount of weight and now have skin laxity in the upper and lower section of their abdomen (if you take the belly button as the middle dividing line)
The type of Tummy Tuck that is appropriate for this type of anatomy :-
1/ No Tummy Tuck at all -This can happen if there is still a high proportion of fat ;such that it is more risky to carry out any procedure at all on the patient -The ‘B-Belly ‘ can have an association with a high BMI which makes any kind of procedure more challenging and higher risk.
The Surgeon will also need to consider risks vs reward and if there is a large quantity of visceral fat, then the benefits to the patient will be limited and so the risk element might be much greater than the reward justifies
2/ A Very minimal Tuck called an ‘Apronectomy’ – The B-belly has an association with greater discomfort caused by chafing of skin against skin and sores/infection in the skin folds.Sometimes, a minimal procedure can be carried out ;to remove the biggest part of the ‘apron’ so that the patient has more comfort with daily activities and sport.If this type of procedure is carried out, the risk is minimised as there is no attempt to remove large amounts of tissue which could keep the patient in theatre for a long period that would carry greater risks of complications
Your surgeon will need to manage your expectations if you were to opt for this procedure as it is more of a functional repair than aesthetic (ctd in comments )

21/01/2022

Are you a horse or a cat ?

And what does your face shape mean in terms of how you age and what type of facelift you might benefit from ?

I would be interesred to hear from you guys on this subject as there are certainly some patterns emerging within the patient community as to what type of face structure you have and how well you age ; as well as the type of facelifting styles which seem to suit different face shapes /anatomical structures

The theme seemed apt as there was a discussion on plastic surgery in this weeks episode of the new series :)

Drop me a comment 👇 as to which category you fit into?

🐎
🐱

Which technique of facelift do you think is best for restoring cats Vs horses ?

19/01/2022

Are you being silenced by a Cosmetic Clinic in the UK?

Would you like to talk it over with someone who can perhaps help advocate for you BEFORE you sign ?

It is not uncommon for a clinic or even individual Surgeon to offer a settlement with you after having a procedure which did not meet with your expectations

By signing a Non Disclosure Agreement , ( NDA) ;you are required to be silent regarding your outcome and so you are unable to share your story with future generations of patients who may be unlucky enough to subsequently suffer the same fate of a Perceived unacceptable or even botched outcome

Patient advocates are there to help you see the wood through the trees and to objectively help you to

✅ Mediate with the surgeon or clinic
✅ Seek Clarity whilst being objective and Fair
✅ listen to you and be your counsel as an equal
✅Help you too obtain an independent second opinion from a suitably qualified medical professional
✅Help you to prepare your correspondence
✅ Refer you to a mediation service like ISCAS
✅ obtain copies of your records and help you prepare a chronology for any legal action

Thankfully most procedures have a happy ending for patients and Surgeons alike … but when things don’t go to plan please know that there is always someone out there like me …. Who will listen ; hear you ; help you

Every Step of the way