If the result is not what you hoped

This page sits where a patient story used to. We do not publish patient stories - testimonials about regulated health services are prohibited under section 133 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, and one person's account tells you very little about your own case. See patient stories for why.

Clinic websites are full of pages about good outcomes and almost none about the other kind. Some results disappoint. Here is what to do about it.

First: is it finished?

Most early disappointment is swelling, bruising, numbness or an immature scar, not the final result.

Swelling settles over weeks, and residual swelling continues resolving for six to twelve months - up to two years in the nasal tip
Scars are at their worst around six to eight weeks: raised, firm and red. They flatten and fade for twelve to eighteen months
Numbness after surgery can take many months to recover, and occasionally does not fully return
Breast implants sit high initially and settle over two to three months
Injectable results shift over the first two weeks

Revisions are usually not considered for at least six to twelve months, because operating on tissue that is still remodelling can produce a worse result than waiting.

But do not wait on these

Some things need attention now, not at the next review. Contact us promptly for fever, spreading redness, increasing pain after day three, discharge with odour, a wound opening, sudden one-sided swelling, or new or worsening numbness or weakness.

Call 000 for chest pain, shortness of breath, calf pain with swelling, or any change in vision after an injectable treatment.

Raise it with us - properly

Book a review and say plainly that you are unhappy. It helps to:

Write down what specifically bothers you, before the appointment
Bring your pre-operative photographs
Ask what happened, in plain language: is this healing, a known variation, a complication, or a technical outcome that could be improved?
Ask what the options are, including doing nothing
Ask what any option would cost you, and get it in writing
Take someone with you, or take notes - it is hard to absorb a conversation you are upset in

You are entitled to a full explanation. You are entitled to copies of your records, operation notes and photographs. If an implant or device was used, you are entitled to its make, model and batch details.

How revision works

Revision surgery is surgery. It carries the same risks as the first procedure and often more, because it works through scarred tissue with a less predictable blood supply. Some things can be improved substantially; some cannot be improved much at all; a few are better left alone.

Cost is the question people avoid asking. Ask before you have the original procedure: if a revision is needed, who pays the surgeon, the anaesthetist and the facility? Policies differ between clinics and between situations - a complication, a technical issue and a change of mind are not treated the same way. Get the policy in writing at the outset rather than negotiating it when you are already upset.

A second opinion

You may see any practitioner you choose, at any point, and you do not need permission from the original one. For a surgical concern, see an appropriately qualified practitioner - for surgery, a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS). Take your records, operation notes, photographs and implant details with you.

If you want to complain

Raising it with the clinic first is usually fastest, but you are not obliged to. Your options:

AHPRA - for concerns about a practitioner's conduct, performance or health. Notifications: ahpra.gov.au or 1300 419 495. AHPRA regulates practitioners; it does not award compensation.
Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria) - for complaints about a health service, including conciliation. hcc.vic.gov.au or 1300 582 113. Other states have equivalent bodies.
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner - for privacy and health-record concerns. oaic.gov.au or 1300 363 992.
Legal advice - if you are considering a claim. Time limits apply, so do not leave it indefinitely.

Making a complaint does not affect your right to ongoing care.

The part that is not about the surgery

Disappointment after a cosmetic procedure can hit hard, particularly where the decision carried a lot of hope. If you are struggling, talk to your GP - a mental health treatment plan gives subsidised access to a psychologist. Lifeline 13 11 14, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. In an emergency call 000.

Me Clinic, 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145. Phone 1300 852 050 or (03) 9569 3511.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. Individual results may vary.