Fake News, Defamation, Online Reviews, and Their Potential Devastating Consequences for Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons

Abstract

Background: Anecdotal evidence of the exposure and vulnerability of aesthetic plastic surgeons to fake news and online defamation by a minority of vociferous patients has been accruing over the past 10 to 20 years and lurks, hidden like an iceberg, beneath our specialty. Because of acute embarrassment, it is rarely, if ever, discussed in public, and the true extent of the underlying problem remains unknown.

Objectives: The authors sought to accurately document the true magnitude of defamation in British aesthetic plastic surgery.

Methods: An anonymous online survey was distributed to all full members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons in the summer of 2020.

Results: Forty-six percent of full British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons members responded. Over one-half had experienced denigration of their professional reputation; the most common medium reported was digital defamation. Over three-quarters of the respondents had been the subject of patient blackmail in an attempt to refund professional fees, and, most distressingly, almost one-third stated that the incident had significantly impacted their mental well-being. The majority had found help from their professional bodies to be significantly lacking.

Conclusions: These findings reveal a torment among aesthetic plastic surgeons that has not, to the authors' knowledge, been previously recognized and requires urgent attention by professional organizations.