Surgeons respond to DHSC/TikTok campaign on cosmetic surgery abroad

Responding to news that the Department of Health and Social Care will partner with TikTok to highlight the risks of traveling abroad for cosmetic procedures, Professor Vivien Lees, Senior Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said:

“It’s good news that the government will work with TikTok to raise awareness of the serious risks associated with travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures and stop events in the UK that promote procedure abroad. Too often, patients are lured by cut-price deals and glossy social media posts, only to return home with life-altering complications. The NHS is then left to pick up the pieces - sometimes in emergency situations, and often without full knowledge of what procedure was performed or by whom.
 
“RCS England has long called for better public education on the dangers of medical tourism. While many overseas providers offer high-quality care, the lack of regulation, aftercare, and accountability in some settings puts patients at real risk.
 
“As a next step, we’d also like to see the NHS collect robust data on patients presenting with complications after overseas treatment. This is essential to understanding the true scale of the problem and ensuring that UK health services are not left to shoulder the burden without evidence or recourse.”
 
ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research, and championing the best outcomes for patients. 
2.  For more information, please contact the press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6047; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.