A time for reflection

An aesthetic surgery winter roundup with Mrs Dunlop, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Duchy Hospital.

Christmas in Cornwall is about going for windy walks, being with family and snuggling up by the fire. It’s a time for reflection on a year that’s gone by and the year to come. For many surgical specialties, winter is a time for reflection on the previous year’s work and more importantly – conference season.

Different professional bodies such as BAPRAS (British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons) and BAAPS (British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons) hold meetings where plastic and aesthetic surgeons can get together with colleagues from the rest of the UK and abroad, gather insights from guest speakers, view emerging technologies on the trade stands and catch up with mentors and older consultants from training days. Mrs Dunlop, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, says; “I love these meetings and always return to Cornwall feeling invigorated, with a renewed commitment to patient care and satisfaction.”

She found this year’s conference had a focus on patient safety and the small technical details of an operation; “It’s these details that give even more polished results to the classic aesthetic surgeries such as abdominoplasty, breast reduction and breast augmentation. No-one wants to go back to surgery for alterations if they can help it, so this attention to detail is so important.”

When thinking about cosmetic surgery, you should always look for a surgeon working out of a reputable hospital, like Duchy, and make sure they are on the GMC specialist register as a plastic surgeon. Aesthetic surgery is not something that should be rushed into and it’s important that you trust your surgeon and you have a good rapport with them, before you commit to becoming their patient.

Mrs Dunlop stated, “It is becoming more common for an aesthetic patient’s surgical team to include a Clinical Psychologist, so that patients are well supported throughout their experience, ensuring they have realistic expectations and a toolkit of coping strategies to manage their surgical journey. Traditionally, surgical training focused on the technical aspects of our job, but communication skills, including listening, are a big part of the Cosmetic Surgery Certification scheme that many UK surgeons have undertaken in recent years.”

If you would like to book an initial consultation with Mrs Dunlop, please contact the Private Patient Team at Duchy Hospital on 01872 226157.

Duchy Hospital

www.duchyhospital.co.uk