SKIN OF COLOUR SOCIETY’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY

UK considering travelling to Türkiye for cosmetic surgery to consider the following points:

■ Any Turkish surgeon seen should be a member of TSPRAS (the Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons)

■ Your surgeon in Türkiye should have Turkish board certification you should be able to see their certificate on request

■ EBOPRAS membership (the European Board of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) is desirable in your surgeon

■ Your surgeon should have been in practice in Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery for at least 5-years (as training is different in Türkiye)

■ Your surgeon should offer you an aftercare plan

■ You should know the name of your surgeon and how to contact them if there is a problem

■ It is advisable to ask how long your surgeon has been working with their clinic at least 3-years is recommended

■ Informed consent— it is compulsory in Türkiye to have a comprehensive consent form completed ahead of travel— if this does not happen it should raise concerns

■ Please double-check your surgeon about his/her specialty. In Türkiye— there are practitioners who claim to be plastic surgeons who are not, and other surgeons working outside their areas of training and specialty

■ We recommend that your surgeon performs your surgery in a fully recognised hospital, which might be, in Türkiye, identified by having at least 30-beds

President of BAAPS

Marc Pacifico added:

‘We hope that these guidelines will help patients with their research into surgeons and clinics in Türkiye and urge anyone to think carefully before considering surgery

As the world’s leading professional organisation dedicated to skin of colour dermatology, the Skin of Colour Society (SOCS) marks its 20th anniversary milestone with several signature programmes and groundbreaking initiatives underway that help bring greater diversity to dermatology, reduce healthcare disparities, advance muchneeded research, expand training and mentorship opportunities for dermatologists, and amplify patient education.

Founded in 2004 by dermatology leader Susan C. Taylor, MD, FAAD, SOCS is flourishing with unprecedented growth and expansion in recent times, making seminal contributions to the field of dermatology. Highlights from its most active and innovative year in history include:

■ Leading the way with skin of colour patient and dermatology educational videos

■ Advancing Diversity in Dermatology Clinical Trials

■ Supporting Much-Needed Research in Skin of Colour Dermatology

■ The SOCS Foundation Institutional Research Fellowship (IRF) Programme

■ The SOCS Dermatology Research Award

■ SOCS Career Development Awards

■ The SOCS Early Career Innovations Award

■ Mentoring the next generation of dermatologists

■ Presenting the latest skin of colour research.

‘As we reach our 20th anniversary, we are indebted to many skin of colour dermatology pioneers, whose contributions led to tremendous advances in the field. As we face a very promising future, we are thankful for and strengthened by many SOCS leaders, members, supporters and collaborators who are helping us continue our work toward achieving true diversity, equity and inclusion in dermatology,’ comments Dr. Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, FAAD, SOCS President.