When aesthetic clinics are opening again across Europe, is there anything that patients should be aware of if they are considering treatments or operations?
The rules and regulations differ in Europe so first of all you should check if your government are allowing clinics and private hospitals to open again for non- emergency procedures. Certain aspect of Covid-19 are still not clear, so as many precautions as possible need to be made to keep you safe.
Real Plastic Surgeon (RPS) would like to give you some guidelines that will help you check that the facility where you are planning to have your treatment is following the safety regulations and these guidelines are conclusion made between two European Organizations: the European Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Societies (EASAPS) and the European Societies of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ESPRAS) who both have patient safety as one of the main objectives.
1. Consultation.
Where possible, it is preferable to carry out a video consultation, if the clinic or medical studio have the possibility to do this. Video consultations provide very good information on patients’ questions but might not replace a physical examination in all cases.
2. Visiting the private practice / clinic.
To avoid extra risks, no accompanying person should be allowed in the clinic or practice. This is just to make sure that the number of people visiting the facility is limited. Don’t take this personally as it is a safety procedure.
3. Information.
The secretary or surgeon will ask you to fill out a form where you declare the fact that you have not had any symptoms of Covid-19 recently and that you have not been in contact with any Covid-19 patients or suspected patients. This will be in addition to other basic information that is mandatory before any procedure.
4. What to wear.
You will most likely be asked to wear a mask before entering the facility and if you are not wearing one, you will certainly be given a fresh one to wear.
5. Staff and environment.
All the staff will be wearing protective clothing. There will be restrictions of magazines and newspapers as these could be carriers of the virus and there will most likely not be any refreshment station present to also avoid possible cross-transmission. In the waiting rooms there will be just yourself or perhaps another patient. This limitation of presence is fundamental. Extra deep cleaning of the areas of the clinic will be carried out to protect patients and staff.
6. Procedure.
The surgeon will wear protective clothing and a facial mask. Please follow all the post - procedure indications that your surgeon gives you very closely. Dealing with even small complications or infections during this period is not ideal.
Your surgeon will do everything in her/his power to make your surgery as safe as possible, however, if they indicate that it would be safer to wait a few weeks before undergoing the procedure, then really listen, as your health and safety is the first priority for a good surgeon.