As demand for cosmetic surgery continues to rise we hear some terrible stores of people travelling abroad for ‘cheap operations’ only to find the results are ‘sometimes bad and sometimes horrific’.

Radovan Boca, a consultant plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgeon at BMI St Edmunds Hospital, has advice for anyone contemplating cosmetic surgery at the moment.

He said: “The first and most important thing I tell the patient is ‘take your time’. Don’t rush any decision. Talk it over with family and friends and then discuss it with your surgeon. Let the consultant know what you want and what you expect the result of cosmetic surgery to be.

“Good surgeons will then tell you exactly what can be achieved. They won’t make false promises and they won’t push you into making choices you may later regret. It is important to remind people that having cosmetic surgery is a very serious, life-changing decision and one which should not be rushed into”.

Mr Boca offered 10 top tips to people looking into the possibility of having cosmetic surgery:

n Check your surgeon’s credentials: Ensure that the surgeon is on the specialist register of the General Medical Council and who is a member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).

n Do your research: If a price sounds ‘too good to be true’ it generally is. Don’t be pressurised into committing to surgery because of a ‘discount’ or ‘special offer’.

n Talk to a past patient: Try and talk to people who have had the procedure that you are considering.

n Be prepared for your consultation: Make sure to ask any questions you have about the procedure you are interested in. It is important that your consultation should be with the surgeon who will be performing your procedure.

n Be open-minded: It is important to bear in mind that the procedure that you enquire about may not be the most suitable for you in order to achieve the results you want. The surgeon will discuss the alternatives, along with the pros and cons.

n Meet the team, look round the hospital: Ask the surgeon if you can meet the team who will be looking after you. It is important that you gain a visual perspective of where you’ll be staying and who’ll be caring for you.

n See your GP: It is always a good idea to talk through your plans with your GP as they know your medical history and can talk in general about surgery.

n Take your time: A good surgeon will not take a booking on the day of consultation and will give you a ‘cooling off’ period so that you can thoroughly consider your options.

n Get a price: The hospital should offer a fixed price package, which should include hospital, surgeon and anaesthetist’s fees as well as any implant costs and aftercare.

n On-going support: Ask how many post-operative visits are included within the aftercare package and make sure you’ll have the follow up appointments with the surgeon who performed your surgery.

For more information on the cosmetic procedures available at BMI St Edmunds Hospital visit www.bmicosmetic.co.uk