People of all ages and from all walks of life are now deciding to enhance their appearance. Cosmetic treatments are chosen by thousands of people every day and range from surgical procedures such as nose reshaping, anti-wrinkle treatment, or brow lifts to skin treatments such as chemical peels.
Some help reduce the effects of ageing. Others help change the appearance of a part of your body that you’re self-conscious about. Many people have treatment as they want to feel more self-confident and have greater self-esteem by improving their appearance. All too often there is widespread negative publicity about cosmetic surgery, although very rarely do we hear about the success stories, but the Spire Healthcare has many.
I met with Nicola Brown, the Cosmetic Nurse at their Bristol hospital, to discuss treatments as they offer a free initial, private and confidential consultation, which you can also have at any of their hospitals. I wanted to find out more about this ever-increasingly popular choice for many mature adults.
Reassuring
Nicola has a relaxed, gentle and reassuring manner so it was easy to talk to her about the possibility of elective surgery. She explained that her role is to understand more about whether a patient was considering it for all the right reasons and that they fully appreciated the process from beginning to end. “There is no pressure to commit to anything at this initial consultation, she explained. “ It is all about reassurance and ensuring everyone is clear on the result you want to achieve. Our consultants are honest and realistic about what can be achieved and will refuse surgery if they feel it’s not right for a patient, as there are other alternative treatments, which may be more appropriate.”
Throughout the consultation Nicola gently asked questions and explained exactly what the process would involve and what the recovery time would be. All care is consultant-led and they make it very clear what can be achieved in each individual’s case.
All patients will have plenty of access to their chosen surgeon, including one free session, so they can build trust and confidence in this very important relationship. You can also see some of the surgeon’s recent before and after pictures of similar operations they’ve performed to get more of an idea.
Before being referred to your consultant, Nicola carries out an initial examination to make sure surgery is suitable for you and to make recommendations on the most appropriate procedure, which could be a non-surgical option. She said, “For many of us, the confidence we felt when we were younger is affected by the ageing that shows on our faces. An increasing number of people are choosing anti-wrinkle injections, such as Botox, as a non-surgical approach to combating the appearance of age and to boost their confidence.”
Great care is taken to make sure patients have the best possible care post-surgery with follow up appointments being included in the fixed cost. There is also a treatment advisor line available to you. I asked Nicola about what would happen if something goes wrong, as I know this will be a question that we all want to know the answer to. She stressed that corrective surgery is something that happens infrequently and if the consultant felt that corrective treatment is required it is possible this would be offered free of charge after a review by both the consultant and the hospital.
“If you decide to go ahead with the procedure, you will be given at least two weeks between the consultation and operation date. This is because we want you to be really happy and confident with your decision,” Nicola concluded.
Affordable
Paying for your own treatment is a quick and easy way to get immediate access to the procedure you need. And it might be more affordable than you think – even if you don’t have health insurance.
After my 45 minute free consultation I’m off to carefully consider my options and discuss them with friends and relatives, as Nicola strongly recommended. At least now I have all the facts and information I need to make an informed choice. And after my very interesting consultation I felt much more confident and reassured. Many of us, when we look in the mirror, might be tempted to consider some enhancement; it can only be your decision after all.
Spire Healthcare has a leading reputation for high quality clinical care, a network of 38, modern and well-equipped hospitals across the UK and some world-class specialist cosmetic consultants. If you would like to book your free initial consultation visit www.spirehealthcare.com/how-to-book/ or call 0800 169 1777.
By Patricia Vine