Botched plastic surgery? New bill should tighten the rules on who can perform aesthetic medicine
The number of people complaining about botched procedures in plastic surgery conducted by underqualified or fake doctors is increasing. Experts are ringing alarm bells and the Ministry of Health has proposed a draft law that would tighten the rules on who can offer aesthetic medicine in the Czech Republic.
Last year 60 clients contacted the Society of Aesthetic and Laser Medicine to complain about botched procedures. In the first three months of this year alone, the society received 20 complaints. Not everyone complains. Many dissatisfied clients just go from one doctor to the next to try to get corrective treatment. In many cases, botched transformations by underqualified or fake doctors are beyond repair.
Jana still shudders when she recalls the time when she had a filler material injected under the skin of her face for rejuvenation and to remove the bags under her eyes.
“I was on sick leave for a year. I got signs of necrosis, and there was a risk that my face would fall apart. My skin flared up, it was horrible. It hurt, it burned, and most importantly, I started to have terrible problems with my eyes," says Jana.
The substance was injected under her skin by a doctor who should not be doing aesthetic medicine at all since she is an ear, nose and throat specialist.
According to Miroslav Kršiak of the ministry's Health Care Quality Department, the problem lies in inadequate legislation.
"Until now, the law has not fully taken into account that aesthetic procedures are part of medicine, because they do not address a medical condition, but only the aesthetic requirement of a client."
Practically anyone can open a clinic of aesthetic medicine today. According to Roman Šmucler, chairman of the Society of Aesthetic and Laser Medicine, these services are often offered by nurses or people with no medical education.
"A clinic in the centre centre which offered plastic surgery –and operated for years - was run by an engineer. Czech nurses and beauticians also dabble in this field. The situation is absolutely crazy with people from the eastern countries who often claim to be specialists. But we have our information channels and we find out from Ukraine or Russia that the person in question is not a doctor," adds Šmucler.
Unprofessional treatments by unqualified doctors and staff are becoming a big problem. Many clients experience not only disappointment but also very serious health complications.
Bohumil Zálešák, head of the aesthetic and plastic surgery department at the University Hospital in Olomouc, says that the large number of complaints received by the society of plastic surgeons shows how common the problem is. His team repairs botched procedures for many patients. For example, they recently helped a woman who had her lips enlarged in a beauty salon in Brno.
“Clearly the job was done by an amateur. There was an unevenness that we fixed as much as possible and scars, which we corrected."
Experts in the field have called for the creation of a database of specialists who are qualified to perform plastic surgery and other procedures in aesthetic medicine.
Meanwhile the Health Ministry has proposed a new draft law that would tighten the rules for all who offer these services and should clearly define who can engage in this type of medicine. Healthcare professionals will also have to insure themselves against malpractice. According to the authorities, this will not only make it easier to cover compensation claims, but also to close down problematic workplaces. The proposed amendment is now in the Chamber of Deputies.
