If you’ve been following the plastic surgery and/or medical news, you have probably read about Florida’s new law regulating discount plastic surgery and cosmetic treatment clinics. This was in the wake of fatalities at a number of centers allegedly owned by the same unscrupulous individual. These laws are impossible to argue with. Strong regulation of medical clinics is helpful not only on behalf of patients but also for reputable medical groups in terms of preserving our field’s reputation.

Research conducted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons indicates that the rate of fatalities at discount surgery centers is more than 16 times higher than at clinics overall. Moreover, this statistic does not take into account the number of botched operations resulting in injuries and disfigurement that may be occurring at cut-rate medical and cosmetic offices. The good news for people who are careful who they work with is that plastic surgery as we know it today has existed for over a century and has been perfected both in terms of effectiveness as well as safety. In an era of rapidly improving medical science and technology, procedures conducted by respected physicians and qualified medical personnel are exceptionally safe.

Of course, it’s completely understandable that many prospective patients worry about the cost of surgery; money is always a finite resource. Nevertheless, going to a cut-rate surgery center, even in a relatively well-regulated environment, is at best a false-economy and at worst a danger to an individual’s health and life. Many dubious clinics may follow the letter of the law but they are fairly likely to exercise relaxed standards which are nothing to be relaxed about. Patients who patronize less than completely reputable doctors or practitioners risk not only potential harm and a great deal of heartache but also spending vastly more time and money on often extremely costly revision procedures. In the end, going to a skilled physician with a track record and a strong reputation is always the best bargain.