The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSEng) has launched a new online patient guide to cosmetic surgery. The guide will help direct patients thinking of cosmetic surgery to highly trained and fully qualified surgeons.

The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) has welcomed the new guide. Caroline Mills, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: 'More and more people are turning to cosmetic surgery as a lifestyle choice without understanding the risks involved. Sadly, there are an increasing number of cases where people are forced to have corrective facial surgery when it all goes wrong – and this is certainly my recent experience as a cosmetic surgeon.

'BAOMS worked with RCSEng on the development of the self-regulation, certification framework launched earlier this year. The certification for cosmetic surgeons practising in the UK ensures agreed professional standards, and together with the patient guide cosmetic patients seeking cosmetic surgery procedures now have assurance when they decide to go ahead with cosmetic surgery'.

The patient guide can be found at: https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/patient-care/cosmetic-surgery/.