DFowler
The social media era has well and truly impacted the way we look and aspire to look. As a result of what we see on our TV screens, the demand for aesthetically-enhancing procedures has never been higher. But this rising demand has opened the door to a new form of fraudulent activity – fake surgeons. If you are considering going under the knife, it’s imperative you only receive treatment from experienced, qualified surgeons.
Here are five things to look out for to ensure you avoid the increasing number of cowboy surgeons.
Photographs
Photographs of previous clients are a great way to verify anyone who offers an aesthetic-based service. It doesn’t matter whether you are in need of a hairdresser or a life-saving nose surgeon, you should be able to find before and after evidence of people who have previously used these professional services.
Something else to be aware of is the rise in the amount of AI-generated photographs. These have become the best friends of cowboy surgeons. Always inspect photographs for any distortions or signs of artificial intelligence.
Cost
The first thing to look out for is the cost of a procedure. There’s an old saying that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is and this thought process should be applied to any surgeon who’s offering you their services far below the price that others are.
If one surgeon is standing out as an extremely cheap option, this may indicate that this is a scam rather than a genuine offering. In this case, make sure you do your due diligence and thoroughly research the individual or practice, and categorically do not hand over any money until you’ve verified the surgeon or surgery.
Website
When choosing a surgeon, their website is probably your first point of call. A legitimate surgeon will probably have a professional-looking website with a helpful booking system. You should also be able to find information about a few of the other things mentioned throughout this article including testimonials, photographs and costs.
On the other hand, if a “surgeon” doesn’t have a website, it could be because they’re hiding something, such as their illegitimacy.
Reviews and Testimonials
Everybody has to start somewhere, but if your surgeon can’t show you examples of previous happy clients, this could be a cause for concern.
A common tactic of cowboy surgeons would be to fake reviews. So even if a surgeon or surgery does have reviews, analyse them for signs that they have been fabricated. Common signs of fake reviews would be if all reviews are written in the same tone of voice, all are submitted anonymously or if every review gives 5 stars.
Qualifications
It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, a plastic, cosmetic, or any other type of surgeon will need some form of qualification. While you should avoid any surgeon who doesn’t display qualifications, you should also still be wary of a surgeon who does claim to be qualified. Instead, double-check these claims yourself.
Most countries have national boards that can be checked to see if a surgeon is qualified. In the US, the American Board of Medical Specialities can verify certifications. In the UK, a cosmetic surgeon in Manchester or London would be registered with the General Medical Council which regulates doctors in the UK.
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