The British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons (BACS)

Cosmetic surgery is a relatively new surgical speciality in the UK and is not readily available in the National Health Service (NHS). Up until quite recently there was relatively little interest in this speciality. It was even frowned upon by many medical practitioners who regarded cosmetic surgery as unnecessary and frivolous.

Because there was little to offer in the way of surgical expertise in cosmetic surgery in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the UK, a group of surgeons, from various surgical specialities, inaugurated the British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons (BACS) in 1980. What united them was their interest in cosmetic surgery as a speciality in its own right.

The British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons was established to promote the study and practice of cosmetic surgery, to act as a forum for the exchange of information and ideas among its members and to promote and maintain the highest standards in this speciality. The Association has a defined Constitution as well as a strict Code of Practice, which all members must abide by at all times.

The Association has grown over the years but has never lost sight of its initial aims. The entry criteria, which have to be satisfied by all new members, are strict, and membership is an honour. Full membership is only granted to those who are Fellows of one of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS), or hold the equivalent European qualification and have proven competence in cosmetic surgery. Competence is assessed by already established members of the Association who report their findings and opinions to the membership for final approval before admission to the Association.

In recent years the Association has opened its membership to include Associate Members. Associate Members are qualified medical practitioners but do not necessarily hold the same qualifications as Full Members. These practitioners engage in the regular practice of cosmetic procedures, but often those less complex than those performed by full members eg. hair transplantation, laser skin surgery or thread vein treatment.

The Association holds regular clinical meetings and encourages members to travel widely to attend seminars and conferences to keep up to date with progress in this speciality. All surgeons have to audit their work and undergo regular revalidation under the auspices of the General Medical Council and Royal Colleges.

We would stress that the British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons is not the only association or group of medical practitioners that practice cosmetic surgery in the UK. The British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons was however the first group of surgeons to be established in the UK, whose main dedication was to enhance the practice of cosmetic surgery and whose members performed cosmetic surgery full-time. There are other groups of surgeons and doctors, generally drawn from narrow fields, such as Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery.