Cosmetic surgery can be a risky business it is important to remember that there are no guarantees as to the outcome of plastic surgery as every individual will respond in a slightly different way. However if you feel you were mis-advised or you feel the cosmetic surgeon did not carry out your operation correctly, how do you go about complaining?

Before you decide to go ahead with your complaint, think back through the entire process, from initial consultation through to the surgery itself and the aftercare.

• Did you have a thorough meeting with your surgeon before the surgery was scheduled, and did he answer all of your questions?
• Were the risks, side effects and complications of surgery explained clearly to you before surgery?
• Were you told what the surgeon aimed to achieve with the operation?
• Did you follow all the instructions given to you by your plastic surgeon and the clinic?

Contacting the Clinic
If you are not happy with the results of your cosmetic surgery procedure, your first port of call should be the clinic or hospital itself. If you have not yet fully healed from your operation yet, it is possible that the clinic may be able to allay some of your fears and concerns and any problems you may have may disappear once healing is complete. If you have fully healed and you still have a complaint, the clinic may consider giving you further surgery to correct the issue, depending on what your problem(s) are.

Contacting the Healthcare Commission
If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with, the next step is to look to the country’s healthcare commission. Most countries have some form of standards that surgeons and clinics must adhere to. The place you complain to may be depend on the person you wish to make a complaint about, for example dentists, nurses and doctors may all have different complaint contacts. Unfortunately, the complaints procedure may be difficult if you have had your surgery done overseas which is why it is vitally important that if you are a medical tourist, you take extra-special care when choosing your cosmetic surgeon and clinic.

Taking Legal Action
Depending on the severity of your complaint, you may want to consider taking legal action either against the clinic or the cosmetic surgeon. Legal action should not be taken lightly and you should only take legal action if you feel that clinical negligence has taken place that it, there has been severe incompetence or disregard for your health by the clinic, surgeon, nurses, or any other persons employed by the clinic.

If you choose to pursue legal action, it is wise to find a specialist clinical negligence solicitor as they should have good, in-depth knowledge of the procedures involved.