About Hagen Schumacher

My plastic surgery training in the UK commenced in 2001. Following my higher surgical training in Cambridge and associated units, I achieved my Certificate of Completion of Training by the GMC in 2012. Because of my interest in head & neck and breast surgery, I progressed to further fellowship training in the UK’s largest plastic surgery unit St Andrews Hospital in Chelmsford and the Royal Marsden Hospital in London.

Academically, I achieved a PhD, a number of publications in peer reviewed medical journals, international presentations, book chapters and have also completed several peer reviews for leading medical journals.

Since 2012, I have worked as a consultant in Cambridgeshire. I held NHS positions as Clinical Lead for plastic surgery, as Associate Divisional Director in Head & Neck, as Associate Divisional Director in Private Healthcare and as Surgical Specialty Lead of the Eastern Region for the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) amongst others.

I am on the GMC’s specialist register for plastic surgery and am on the Royal College of Surgeons’ register for Certified Cosmetic Surgeon, am Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh (FRCS Plast), Fellow of the European Board of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (FEBOPRAS), member of BAAPS and BAPRAS and an international member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

My private practice is exclusively focused on aesthetic surgery. I perform all common aesthetic  plastic surgery procedures and have developed a special interest in head & neck, breast and labiaplasty procedures. I practice in London and Cambridge. All my operating facilities and my own services are registered with the Care Quality Commission (=CQC).

Media coverage include publications about Jacquie Beltrao, Toni Goldenberg and Gary Edwards as well as publications in Harper’s Bazaar, the “Medical Show” on Star Radio, “Bizarre ER” on BBC3 and as an expert commentator for “When Plastic Surgery Goes Horribly Wrong” on Channel 5.

I enjoy the aesthetic aspects of my job, but I believe that the real benefits of cosmetic procedures are improved confidence, self-esteem and a happier life. It is not important what your body looks like to others but how you feel about it. My consultations are 100% confidential and not judgemental. I see my clients as equal partners in the decision-making process. It is important that you understand the procedure, recovery, benefits and complications before proceeding with surgery.

I provide free follow up care as part of the operative package. I do not charge patients my own surgeon’s fees for revisional surgery within one year after the original operation if I feel that a significant improvement can be achieved with an acceptable risk profile. Fortunately, most revisions can be performed free of charge under a local anaesthetic. Only very few revisions require a general anaesthetic in which case only hospital and anaesthetist’s costs would need to be covered by the patient. My indemnity cover is reviewed annually and covers the whole scope and volume of my private work.

Finding a Plastic Surgeon

It can be challenging finding a suitable surgeon for your procedure. Plastic surgeons are trained and qualified in the whole field of plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic / cosmetic surgery. They are the most qualified surgeons in performing cosmetic procedures and reconstructions as needed. You should consider several factors when doing your research:

Training

In the UK, plastic surgery training is overseen by the Royal College of Surgeons https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/ . Following successful training, a plastic surgeon is allowed to become a full fellow of the college and as such is entitled to hold the prestigious FRCS (Plast) title. Most plastic surgeons then obtain further subspecialty training in fellowships in large medical units in the UK or abroad.

Qualification

The Certificate of Completion of Training is the award given to plastic surgeons after successfully completing 15-16 years of training https://www.bapras.org.uk/professionals/training-and-education/careers-in-plastic-surgery/the-training-pathway .

Registration

The General Medical Council regulates doctors in the UK. Their online register shows if doctors are qualified and of good professional standing https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/the-medical-register#searchTheRegister . All practicing plastic surgeons in the UK must be registered with the GMC. Other cosmetic or aesthetic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons, oncoplastic surgeons etc. are not registered plastic surgeons and are therefore not regulated as such https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/standards-guidance-and-curricula/curricula . 
The Royal College of Surgeons have a register for Certified Cosmetic Surgeons. Following a rigorous assessment of a surgeon’s cosmetic surgical logbook, audit figures, professional memberships, GMC registration, experience and further training in professional standards and ethics in the field of cosmetic surgery, surgeons can have their name added to this register https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/patient-care/cosmetic-surgery/choosing-a-surgeon-and-hospital/certified-cosmetic-surgeons/ .

Memberships

The two largest professional associations for plastic surgeons are the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). As a member, plastic surgeons have to practice within the ethical and professional standards of the organisation. On their websites, you can find out more about members and see information about procedures. https://www.bapras.org.uk/public

https://baaps.org.uk/patients/default.aspx .

Experience

Surgeons keep a logbook to document all the operations they have performed. BAAPS expects members to submit annual audits of their performance and complications. Some surgeons perform a high number in very few procedures and others offer a wider scope of practice with smaller numbers. Experience does not always translate into good outcomes, but it is a useful indicator. Some procedures are very infrequently requested, and therefore most surgeons are likely to have low numbers. In that case, appropriate training and transferable skills from similar operations are good criteria. It is reasonable to ask your surgeon about their experience. There is not one “right” way of operating. Your surgeon should be able to explain to you why they perform procedures in a certain way and why they feel that this would be best for you.

Testimonials

Many patients choose RealSelf to leave reviews https://www.realself.com/ but there are others available such as Google. Some rating sites charge surgeons fees and would not feature surgeons without an account with them. It is better to look for patterns than overrating individual reviews. The final surgical outcome can often only be seen after 6 or more months following surgery. You should regard early reviews with caution.

Photographs

Photographs can be a good indicator of outcomes. Factors such as camera & lens, lighting, angle, posture, facial expression and make-up can be misleading. With facelifts for example, a happy “after” facelift photo from a professional camera with the neck extended, and with makeup always looks better than a sad “before” photo from a camera phone with the neck bent and without makeup. Consistency of preoperative and postoperative photographs is important.

Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission assesses the safety of healthcare and cosmetic surgery providers. You can see ratings of services on their website https://www.cqc.org.uk/ .

If things go wrong

Because cosmetic surgery is not medically needed, reputable plastic surgeons would select their patients carefully and exclude patients whose risks are too high. The final outcome depends on three factors: The surgery, your healing and your expectations. Complications are not entirely avoidable. Fortunately, most complications are unlikely and serious complications are rare. However, before committing, you should ask about duration and charges of follow up visits and ask your surgeon about their revision policy. Your surgeon should also have sufficient medical indemnity cover for approximately £10,000,000 in case any issues cannot be resolved in an informal way.

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