Coins DIG

The consumer magazine entitled Which? states that today cosmetic surgery provides various procedures available at low and in less time spending.

According to the magazine its representatives were able to find 8 clinics that presumably violate the rules by doing, what is called, "pressure advertising".

One of such advertisements states that the there would be a 500 GBP discount on breast enlargement procedure in case it is performed by the end of December.

According to industry guidelines, clinics providing cosmetic surgery services "must not offer discounts linked to a deadline date".

Internet sites for the companies listed by Which? include aspects of the offers concerned. Surgicare is one of the clinics to offer a 500 GBP discount on breast enlargement operation in case the procedure is performed by the end of this month.

The firm also provides a 200 GBP discount on the operation involving the removal of eye bags. And 3 treatments performed for the price of 2 are offered in case these are made before the end of January next year.

Another clinic entitled Harley Medical Group has discounts of up to 100 GBP on laser hair removal treatment, the discount, however, is active only in case the procedure is undertaken by the end of December 2007. The group also advertises a 400 GBP discount on any procedure undertaken before the end of this month.

Which? magazine outlines that cosmetic surgery procedure represents "a major and potentially life changing decision" and clinics are "highly irresponsible" for rushing people to make a significant change in their life after seeing the firms' offerings.

According to the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services (IHAS) guidelines: "Advertisements must not offer discounts linked to a deadline date for booking appointments or surgery or other date-linked incentives."

Health campaigner, working at Which?, Jenny Driscoll, hopes that the cosmetic industry would consider the findings.

"We really hope that they will stop this pressure advertising which can rush people into surgery and treatments which they probably might not need, and also may cost them thousands of pounds and may end up being a waste of money. What is the point of having a code of practice if companies are going to ignore it?" stated Ms. Driscoll. "This is yet another indication that proposed self-regulation will not work for the cosmetic treatments industry," she added.

The magazine has written its message to the IHAS and the firms involved in cosmetic surgery. It hopes that the government would use the coming Health and Social Care Bill in order to introduce more severe regulations for the whole field of cosmetic treatment.

Statistics predict that Britons would undertake cosmetic surgeries totaling above 1 billion GBP in 2008.