The British Association of Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has cautioned patients to check the credentials of their cosmetic surgeons before they go under the knife.

More specifically, those contemplating liposuction need to ensure that the cosmetic surgeon they are visiting is a specialist in this area.

Body contouring through liposuction is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK with around 450,000 procedures carried out every year. However the rising demand for the surgery comes at a price.

Liposuction is an invasive surgery and therefore carries all the usual risks, particularly if a general anaesthetic is used. Normally during a liposuction operation a cannula is inserted into the body and moved around in order to loosen up the fat cells. These fat cells are then removed using a suction device.

Over the years, plenty of different variations of liposuction have appeared such as Smartlipo and Vaser where heat is used to liquefy the fat before it is removed.

For prospective patients, it is wise to look out for surgeons who carry ‘FRCS’ and then ‘Plast’ after their name. The FRCS indicates that they are a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Plast indicates that they have been trained in plastic surgery to a high level. If you choose a surgeon who does not have these qualifications, you may be risking not only having a bad outcome to your operation but also your health. You can find a qualified plastic surgeon by looking on the General Medical Council specialist register or the BAAPS website.