10 Red Flags: Breast Augmentation or Breast Surgery
What You Need to Know Before Choosing a Cosmetic Surgeon or Cosmetic Surgery Company
If something feels off… trust that feeling.
Here are the 10 red flags you should never ignore.
🚩 1. The Cosmetic Surgeon Isn’t a Specialist Plastic Surgeon
This is one of the most important checks.
Not all “cosmetic surgeons” are trained plastic surgeons.
Always check:
They are registered with a recognised medical body as a specialist plastic surgeon.
Check Plastic Surgeon Regulatory Bodies Worldwide
🚩 2. You Don’t Properly Meet Your Cosmetic Surgeon
If you:
- Only speak to a coordinator
- Have very limited time with the cosmetic surgeon
- Feel rushed during your consultation
- Your questions and concerns are not answered clearly
🚩 3. You Feel Pressured to Book Quickly
If you’re told:
- This price is only available today
- You need to secure your slot now
- This is the lowest price you will find
Ethical plastic surgeons:
- Give you time to think
- Encourage question
- You should be given a 2 week cooling off period
Never rush your decision
🚩 4. Prices That Seem Too Good to Be True
Low-cost cosmetic surgery often comes with:
- High patient volume
- Limited consultation time
- Cost-cutting on aftercare
Ask how many surgical procedures are performed per day and the time slot in the theatre that has been allocated for your procedure.
🚩 5. Risks Are Downplayed or Avoided
If you don’t hear about:
- BIA-ALCL (linked to some textured implants)
- Manufacturer and type of implant being used
- Implant rupture & capsular contracture rates
- Risk of infection and other complications
- The possibility of future surgeries
Ethical plastic surgeons will always explain risks clearly.
🚩6. Your Not Given Your Full Implant Details
You should know:
- Manufacturer/brand name (e.g. Allergan, Mentor, Motiva, Polytech)
- Implant type – smooth, microtextured, textured, polyurethane, or other shell surface
- Filling – saline, silicone gel, cohesive gel, or combination
Silicone consistency/cohesiveness – softer vs firmer gel profile - Implant size (cc volume) – your chosen capacity
- Width/diameter – how wide the implant sits on your chest
- Height/profile – low, moderate, high, or extra high projection
- Shape – round or anatomical/teardrop
- Serial/reference numbers – keep these for future safety recalls or complications
Your implants could later be subject to safety alerts or withdrawal, so knowing your exact implant details helps you act quickly if concerns arise. Ask before surgery and keep your implant card for life.
🚩 7. No Clear Aftercare Plan
Aftercare is critical.
Ask:
- Who do I contact if something goes wrong?
- What medical care is included if there are complications?
- What follow-up care is included?
- What happens if there are complications later on (capsular contraction/implant rupture or withdrawal)
If this isn’t clearly explained, walk away.
🚩 8. Overseas Cosmetic Surgery Without Full Understanding
Travelling abroad for cosmetic surgery can increase risks:
- Different regulatory standards
- Additional costs associated with managing complications
- Limited follow-up care
👉 If something goes wrong, support may be limited.
Check your clinic/hospital worldwide
🚩 9. The Focus Is on Selling — Not Safety
If the consultation feels like:
- Packages and deals
- Upselling procedures
- Sales-driven conversations
👉 Instead of focusing on:
- Your safety
- Your goals
- Your long-term wellbeing
🚩 10. Your Concerns Are Dismissed
If you feel:
- Rushed
- Dismissed
- Not taken seriously
👉 Trust that instinct.
You deserve to feel:
✔ Heard
✔ Respected
✔ Fully informed
Cosmetic surgery is your choice.
But it should always be an informed and safe choice.
👉 Ethical plastic surgeons will never pressure you, mislead you, or hide the truth.
Further reading: Breast Augmentation Surgery in the UK with Large Breast Implants
💗 From Me to You
I’m Annabelle, the founder of OWN YR LOOK. I’ve had multiple cosmetic surgery procedures, including three breast augmentation surgeries.
Currently I have Allergan BIOCELL® textured implants, withdrawn globally in 2019 due to the link with a rare lymphatic cancer. Recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2016, the cancer was named, Breast Implant Associated Large Cell Anaplastic Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).
So trust me, I understand how emotional and important these decisions are.