'Few' ask GPs for cosmetic surgery advice

Only around one in eight people consult their GP before deciding to have cosmetic surgery or treatment, a survey has revealed.

Consumer group Which? Interviewed more than 300 people who were considering or who had already undertaken cosmetic treatment. The survey found that only 15% of people who were planning surgery, and 11% of those who had already had surgery, had consulted their own doctor.

Which? said that people were more likely to have asked friends and family, or to have "relied heavily" on the internet and magazines.

Of those who did visit their GP, however, four in five said that they found it "helpful", while three in four said that the information was "balanced".

Of those who visited their GP and went on to have surgery, three in four said that their GP's advice had proved to be accurate.

Which? health campaigner Frances Blunden said: "It is quite shocking that people will trust adverts in magazines, but won't consult their GP before they decide to have cosmetic treatments. It's not a decision to take lightly, particularly as, in some cases, people will undergo a major operation which obviously involves risks that should be talked through with their own, impartial doctor first.

"We've set up an online guide where people can get down-to-earth advice about different cosmetic treatments - what they involve, what the medical terms mean, and what the risks are. We hope that GPs will refer their patients to this site as well."

The online guide covers the most popular procedures and their risks. It also includes how to check out clinics and surgeons before committing to anything, situations when people should simply 'walk away' and what to do if something should go wrong.

(KMcA/JM)