In this day and age it seems there is a way to fix anything that we find displeasing about ourselves or perhaps even turn back the hands of time but are them some procedures we should be avoiding? It seems so and what follows is the first part of a guide to the top 10 procedures you should avoid.

· Fat metabolising injections – these are marketed as a quick fix to help you remove unwanted fat from areas such as the tummy. The non surgical procedure involves a cocktail of drugs being injected into the areas of fat you wish to remove but there is no evidence to suggest that this works in the slightest. The injection can also cause pain and swelling at the injection site, hard lumps and even ulceration in the worst cases.

· Cosmetic foot surgery – some women turn to surgery to ensure their feet look as good as possible in the latest strappy sandals but there can be many side effects and top cosmetic surgeons would advise against it. Fillers may be injected into the feet to make them more rounded and bones can be shaved. The side effects can include infection, nerve injury and prolonged swelling which can make it painful to walk.

· Permanent fillers – it is possible to have lines on the face filled from within with filling gels containing hyaluronic acid or collagen and this is of course a temporary effect lasting several months. It is also possible to have a permanent filler injected such as medical grade silicone but this can drift making the face lumpy and distorted. As the fillers are permanent this damage is irreversible without turning to corrective surgery.

· Breast augmentation injection – some surgeons are now offering to harvest fat from elsewhere in your body and inject this into the tissue behind the breast after purifying it. Alternatively artificial fillers can be used to give the breast a temporary improvement in size and shape. Either option can be potentially dangerous as the injected filler can mimic breast cancer and in some cases conceal real breast cancer making it very difficult to diagnose.

· Cosmetic leg lengthening surgery – for those looking to be that little bit taller this may seem to be the solution but the procedure involves breaking both of your legs and slowly lengthening the bone with the use of screws. The operation can top out at £60,000 and all for an average gain of 3 inches – is it really worth it?

Part 2 reveals the remaining top ten cosmetic surgery procedures to avoid.

If you are considering cosmetic surgery procedures in the UK such as weight loss surgery you should seek an accredited surgeon who is registered with BAPRAS or BAAPS to ensure this plastic surgery runs smoothly.