I can’t agree more with Dr Christian Jessen in London, who is sad to say that the age of blind trust in your doctor is over: patients must take some responsibility and do their homework before committing to any invasive cosmetic surgery.

Read the Warning: Women who look more Crimewatch than Baywatch are being promised miracles.

Treating colored skin poses difficulties, as many practitioners have experienced. Dr Mukta Sachdev says good technique hinges on good pre-, intra- and post-operative care and choice of patient.

Colored skin has the tendency to hyperpigment following trauma, so in the wake of procedures such as lasers, chemical peels or microdermabrasion, there is a chance that hyperpigmentation will occur at the treatment site. This post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is a common adverse event in darker skin. According to one expert, maximising the success of an aesthetic procedure can be better achieved if the proper pre-, intra- and post-operative precautions are taken. Dr Mukta Sachdev, a consultant dermatologist at the Manipal Hospital in Bangalore, India, says that treating coloured skin can be particularly challenging, even for the most experienced cosmetic physician. “In India we have found that the patients do not use sunscreens as much as they should, as compared with the West, and Indian people are simply not aware of the benefits of these creams. The cosmetic implications—especially in darker skin—is that following a procedure, such as laser or microdermabrasion, the risks of hyperpigmentation will increase,” Dr Sachdev says.

According to Dr Sachdev, the use of sunscreens is mandatory before cosmetic procedures, and the patient should get into the habit of using these two to three times a day, at least 14 days prior to procedures. This gets the patient into the habit of using them, and they help in preventing unwanted hyperpigmentation post-procedure. Dermal filler procedures are also a common cause of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Dr Sachdev says that perhaps a normal Caucasian skin might tolerate a Restylane or Perlane filler very well in terms of decreased risk of developing a post-procedural hyperpigmentation. However, in a darker skin, skin types IV to VI, patients can frequently have a pigmentation of the injection puncture wound where the filler was introduced into the skin.

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See post-op and other recommended skin care.

You get what you pay for – an old saying with 100% accuracy – applies as usual.

There have been many incidences in the media of late with reference to botched cosmetic surgery procedures and 9 times out of ten this seems to stem from paying too little and using unscrupulous practitioners who prey on the uniformed and the gullible.

Nothing against cosmetic dentists offering dermal fillers and simple laser treatments, but you should be very thorough in checking his background if he offers to perform breast augmentation surgery.

It really is crucial that you research any prospective cosmetic surgeon to ensure you will receive the best quality surgery and aftercare. You cannot guarantee this with a surgeon who is not accredited as they don’t have the strict regulation of association members.

These days, there are so many excellent non-invasive treatments, such as dermal fillers and/or laser treatments, and consumers should consider those first and well before taking the risks of any cosmetic surgery. Non-invasive procedures are effective, require minimum downtime if any, and can be safely done by a wide range of medical professionals.