Cosmetic Surgeons Give Incomplete Information for Breast Augmentation Patients: Study

Cosmetic surgery providers websites provide incomplete information for breast augmentation customers, reports a new study. The findings of the study are published in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.

A study performed by Laura Manley, a fourth-year medical student, and Professor Pietro Ghezzi, RM Phillips Chair in Experimental Medicine at BSMS, investigated the first 200 websites returned by a Google search on breast enlargement.

‘A new study highlights the need for plastic surgeons to develop guidelines for the information that is given by websites on breast augmentation.’

In total, 74% of the results were the websites of cosmetic surgery providers followed by price comparison websites (6%).

With many women under increasing pressure in regards to their body image, a growing number are choosing to undergo breast augmentation procedures.

Figures from 2017 show that almost 300,000 and 28,000 surgeries were performed in the USA and the UK respectively.

Many women initially turn to the internet for information on the procedure, including the costs involved, possible side effects and which surgeon to use.

Professor Ghezzi said: "This study found that cosmetic surgery providers' websites failed to provide complete information, "They offered adequate information on the procedure itself, mentioning five aspects of it on average, such as the anesthetic used, the location of the incision and the type of implant.

"However, only a quarter of them reported the cost of the procedure or the fact that the procedure is not permanent. Only one in five disclosed the potential limitations of the final result of the implants."

These websites were also poor in informing possible clients about the many potential complications of the procedure such as the risk of infections, ruptures, and capsular contractures, with only one complication described on average.

The complications least mentioned were the need for revision surgery or reoperation (one-third of the websites analyzed) or the risk of a particular type of lymphoma (one in ten websites).

Professor Ghezzi added: "Incomplete information can be a cause for patients not being fully satisfied with the surgery, filing complaints or even resorting to litigation. The study highlights the need for plastic surgeons to develop guidelines for the information that is provided by websites on breast augmentation."

Source: Eurekalert