Beware! Not all Cosmetic Surgeons Are What They Appear To Be!

Have you ever looked at your face in the mirror and pulled the skin back to see how you’d look without wrinkles and a saggy jaw line? How about standing in the mirror side ways and sucking in your gut to see how you’d look with a tummy tuck? Sure you have. Hundreds of thousands of you have done much more than just look in the mirror and wonder.

According to Medicard’s Statistics for 2003:

• There were over 302,000 surgical and non-surgical cosmetic
enhancements performed in Canada - an increase of nearly 60,000
procedures or 24.6% from 2002.
• Surgical procedures increased from 86,207 in 2002 to 100,569 in 2003.
• Canadian surgical procedures eclipsed the $500,000,000 in 2003.
• Liposuction procedures increased by 16% from 2002 to 24,337, which
is 24% of the surgical market in Canada.
• Breast Augmentation rose 17% to 16,973 procedures in 2003.
• Women are seeking 85.5% of all cosmetic enhancement procedures. The most popular are liposuction, breast augmentation and non-surgical facelift.
• Men seek 14.5% of all cosmetic treatments; the most popular being
liposuction, rhinoplasty, and eye lifts. 87% of all patients are between the ages of 35-50, 11% were aged 19-34 leaving 2% over the age of 50.

Would you literally die to be beautiful? You could have! Were you aware that in Ontario doctors can call themselves cosmetic surgeons without having the proper qualifications? Currently, hundreds of family physicians in Ontario advertise themselves as cosmetic surgeons without any specialty designation or training. Between 2002 and 2006 there has been a 150% increase in the number of physicians who reported doing cosmetic surgery. It’s no small wonder since cosmetic surgery is a license to print money - $210M was spent on cosmetic surgical procedures in Ontario in 2003.

As early as the 1990s there is evidence that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario was concerned about family physicians conducting cosmetic procedures without oversight or training. Was anything done? NO! On September 20, 2007 a 32-year-old Torontonian, Krista Stryland, died tragically after liposuction. Dr. Behnaz Yazdanfar performed liposuction at her Toronto Cosmetic Clinic. Although Dr. Yazdanfar promotes herself as a premier Toronto cosmetic surgeon with credentials and experience up the wazoo, SHE IS NOT A CERTIFIED SURGEON! In spite of this she is still practicing in her clinic. WHY???? The Ontario coroner’s office is still investigating the case and as yet no decision has been made on whether there will be an inquiry into her death. As a result doctors are now being made to prove their skills and be honest about their credentials, or lack thereof. Proposed new rules include one that would not allow physicians to use the title surgeon unless they are certified as surgical specialists by recognized medical bodies. Can you believe that this is not already in place??????!!!!!!!!!!! Why have doctors been allowed to operate unchecked?

Before undergoing any cosmetic procedure PLEASE go the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website http://www.cpso.on.ca/ and carefully read the tips on what questions you should ask about a physician’s qualifications before you undergo a cosmetic procedure. No one should have to die to be beautiful!