Check on doctor before getting cosmetic surgery in UAE

With a rising demand for cosmetic surgery in the UAE, some residents have turned to illegal and unlicensed alternatives which could prove dangerous or even deadly, according to experts.
The issue was starkly highlighted on Thursday, when the Philippine Consulate in Dubai announced that a Filipino expatriate passed away after undergoing an illegal cosmetic surgery in Ras Al Khaimah, prompting the consulate to warn its nationals against going to unlicensed practitioners.
Although local authorities have yet to give the results of the autopsy and their investigation, the Philippine Consul, Ferdinand Flores, noted that the deceased expat, in his mid-20s, was allegedly given an injection for chest augmentation.
Although an extreme case, incidents of illegal surgeries gone wrong are not unheard of.
Dr Matteo Vigo, Cosmetic Surgeon, Chief Medical Officer and Chief of Surgery at American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital, said that it is vital for patients to check that both the doctor and the institution are properly licenced and trained for such procedures.
"When a patient puts in these kinds of requests, he needs to check both the doctor and the clinic where they'll have surgery," he said. "The doctor must be specialised in the field, and not a general surgeon or GP, and must have a full licence from the UAE.
A good way to look into a doctor or facility's credentials, he added, is to check whether the facility is affiliated with international plastic surgery associations and has accreditation with the Joint Commission International, or JCI.
"It's an international organisation that checks quality and development," he said.
Under no circumstances, Dr Vigo said, should so-called 'doctors' offering to do treatments in private homes be considered.
"There have been cases of people going to a home and injecting unknown products, which can result in major disasters on the face or body," he said. "No medical act can be performed out of a hospital or clinic. Don't trust people who say they do.
"Especially in the past, there was less control, and places like salons and barbershops were doing injections and other minor procedures," he added. "The situation has improved and there is much more knowledge now on the part of the patients, but people should avoid these."
Dr Vigo noted that one cause of the issue is that plastic surgeons - licenced or otherwise - are often recommended by word of mouth.
"There is a major risk of doing a surgery with someone who isn't able to handle it, or the complications. If they aren't specialised there can be complications and problems afterwards. It will be a major issue if they use contaminated instruments, for example."
bernd@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai

Bernd Debusmann Jr.

bernd@khaleejtimes.com