KEY POINTS:
Doctors in the booming cosmetic surgery industry have to comply with new standards set by the Medical Council that include giving patients a seven-day cooling off period to think about an operation.
The council can only set standards for doctors and does not regulate the wider beauty industry. This is its first set of standards covering cosmetic procedures.
"It has been a tricky area for all countries, it is difficult to get this right," said council chairman John Campbell.
The standards define a cosmetic procedure and deal with two categories - surgical procedures such as breast augmentation or reduction, surgical face lifts and liposuction fall under category one. Category two takes in a wide range of non-surgical procedures, including hair removal and replacement, and chemical peels.
Cosmetic procedures are defined as having a sole intention to improve a patient's appearance or self-esteem.
The council notes that cosmetic procedures do not necessarily improve a patient's health and it is difficult to determine if they are in the patient's best interest.
Doctors are encouraged to refer patients for a psychological consultation within a reasonable time before the procedure if they suspect the patient has a personality disorder.
Doctors have to get a written consent from a patient within a reasonable time before the procedure and the consent has to be reconfirmed on the day of the procedure.
"There should be a period of reflection of seven days between any initial consultation and the performance of a category one procedure," the standard said.
Professor Campbell said patients needed time to consider the pros and cons of a cosmetic procedure because they were elective and there were significant risks with all surgery.
Doctors had to provide information in plain English and outline the possible outcomes.
The standards were produced after 18 months of consultation. The council does not have figures on the numbers of cosmetic procedures in New Zealand.
"It is increasing and there have been concerns about a number of procedures that have been done."
- NZPA
