You’re thinking of having a bit of cosmetic surgery to give you that high in life – nips and tucks to get a smoother, wrinkle-free skin; bigger and brighter eyes; or, a sharper nose. That’s when you see an advertisement about cosmetic surgery where a pretty lady with a dazzling smile, peaches and cream skin and sparkling eyes tells you how she is the modern day Cinderella - an average plain Jane who got transformed by the swish of the surgeon’s knife. It’s not just all talk; the ad also shows her before and after pictures to prove the point. Now, wouldn’t you be tempted to pursue the option of cosmetic surgery?

Professional cosmetic surgeons may post some of these ads; but sometimes the whole deal may not be genuine. Victoria’s Medical Practitioners Board has drafted new guidelines to deal with the false expectations about what cosmetic surgery can achieve that these perfect bodies are creating. The Board is of the opinion that photographs of patients should not be in the ads at all. They feel that these airbrushed  ‘before and after’ pictures are attracting many people and creating an unreasonable expectation of the outcome.

These guidelines say advertisements should be factual, honest, accurate, complete, verifiable and not misleading. The guidelines also aim to stop doctors exaggerating their expertise and may ban advertising qualifications other than those recognized by the national accreditation body, the Australian Medical Council. In Victoria now, any person with a medical degree can practice as a \'cosmetic surgeon\' and perform invasive surgery. Cosmetic surgery is not a recognized AMC specialty.

The new guidelines would mean the board could take a more active role in identifying and investigating doctors who breached the rules.