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Cosmetic treatments: choosing a clinicAsking the right questions

You might find that your first meeting at the clinic or hospital is with a patient co-ordinator. That’s fine, but remember they won’t have the training to give specific medical advice.

Make sure you also see someone who’s qualified to talk about your surgery or treatment, the likely outcomes and any risks before you sign on the dotted line. Any trustworthy company should be happy to arrange this.

Questions to ask at your first consultation

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A good clinic will be happy to answer any queries you have.

About your surgeon

  • Are you a doctor or a nurse?
  • If the answer is no ask if you can have an interview with the surgeon or practitioner before you decide to go ahead. Think very carefully about going ahead with any cosmetic treatment unless you can see the practitioner beforehand. For more information, see the risks of cosmetic treatments page.
  • What qualifications do you have?
  • What experience do you have of (e.g. face lifts)? How many have you done?

About the procedure

  • What should I expect the results to be like? Can I see before and after pictures?
  • What are the potential risks? How often do these happen and how serious are they?
  • What should I expect the treatment to feel like? For surgery it’s worth asking what sort of anaesthetic will be used. Will you be put to sleep, or can you be awake during the treatment?
  • Should I do anything before the surgery or treatment, e.g. stop smoking, use particular medications or creams?
  • How long will it take for me to recover afterwards? What am I likely to look like or feel like straight after the treatment?
  • Should I do anything special to make sure I recover quickly, e.g. stay out of the sun?
  • What happens if I’m unhappy with the results?

About the clinic

  • Is this clinic or hospital registered with the Healthcare Commission? If you’re going for surgery or a laser treatment and the clinic isn’t registered with the Healthcare Commission then find another clinic or surgeon.
  • If I have to stay in the hospital/clinic will it be fully staffed over a weekend?
  • What aftercare will you provide?
  • If something goes wrong will the clinic be able to handle it? Do you have resuscitation equipment and round-the-clock medical help?
  • Who can I call for advice after the operation?

About the cost

  • What is the cost of the consultation with the surgeon?
  • Is aftercare and any other aftercare treatments/products included in the price?
  • What will be the cost of the treatment, including aftercare and any products such as special support clothes?
  • If I change my mind and decide not to complete the treatment, do I still need to pay the full cost?
  • If there are any complications, will I have to pay to have them treated?
  • Do you have insurance that covers this procedure?

What they should ask you

Before you have any surgery or a cosmetic treatment, the surgeon or practitioner should ask you questions. If they don’t ask the following questions, then you should consider checking out another clinic or hospital.

You should be asked:

  • Why do you want surgery?
  • What is your full medical history, for example:
  • What’s your general health like?
  • Have you had any serious illnesses?
  • Do you suffer from any chronic medical condition or illness, such as diabetes?
  • Have you had surgery or a general anaesthetic before?
  • What is your lifestyle? Do you smoke?

More information

The Royal College of Surgeons of England has a leaflet that suggests questions patients having any operation may want to ask.

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