In July, cosmetic surgery and procedures will undergo a massive overhaul. This is what's changing

In July, new Australian guidelines will drastically change the way cosmetic surgery and procedures can be performed.

The reforms, issued by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), focus on two main areas: how the surgeries and procedures can be practised, and how they can be advertised.

Here's everything you need to know about the changes, which come into effect on July 1.

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What impact will the new practice guidelines for cosmetic surgery and procedures have?

The new guidelines require psychological screening for all cosmetic surgery patients, as well as mandatory cooling off periods between consenting to surgery and booking it in or paying a deposit.

From July 1, all patients for cosmetic surgery and procedures have to be psychologically screened by the medical professional performing the surgery to check the patient's external and internal reasons for getting the work done.

They also need to check whether the patient may have underlying psychological conditions such as body dysmorphia.

If the screening indicates an underlying psychological disorder that would make the patient unsuitable for the procedure or surgery, they must be referred to an independent GP, psychologist or psychiatrist for further evaluation.

The person performing the surgery or procedure must discuss other medical options with the patient, and mustn't perform the procedure or surgery if they don't believe it's in the patient's best interests.

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What's the difference between cosmetic surgery and cosmetic procedures, and where does plastic surgery fit in?

Cosmetic surgery and cosmetic procedures are treated differently by the new guidelines.

Cosmetic surgery, which includes some kinds of plastic surgery, is defined by the guidelines as a procedure that involves cutting beneath the skin "with the dominant purpose of achieving what the patient perceives to be a more desirable appearance".

This includes breast augmentation, rhinoplasty and surgical face lifts.

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures have the same purpose but don't involve cutting beneath the skin and instead may involve an injection.

Some examples include Botox and dermal fillers and fat-dissolving injections.

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The two are treated differently by the new guidelines.

For cosmetic surgery, there must be a seven-day cooling-off period between giving consent – which can only be given after two pre-op consultations – and booking the surgery and paying a deposit.

For patients under the age of 18, there is a cooling-off period of at least three months between consent and the surgery being performed.

This is slightly different for cosmetic procedures, in which case there is no cooling-off period for adults.

However, psychological screening is required for both.

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What are the new advertising guidelines for cosmetic surgery?

The MBA and Ahpra are also introducing new advertising guidelines to clamp down on what they consider to be unacceptable behaviour.

"Young people are particularly vulnerable to cosmetic procedure advertising, so these changes will contribute to protecting young people and children from exposure to advertising that is known to impact their self-esteem," Michael Fraser from Operation Redress, who has been monitoring online advertising for years, said.

The guidelines prohibit the sexualisation of cosmetic surgery and procedure advertising, allow for clear information about risks and recovery to be easily found, and ban the use of negative body language.

What words and phrases are banned under the new guidelines?

The new guidelines include a number of examples of language that will be prohibited from July 1.

"Mummy makeover", "unsightly bulges", "lose the bingo wings", "flabby", "problem area", "hip dips", "thigh gaps", "flat buttocks" and similar words and phrases will be outlawed for being exploitative.

Similarly, language that promotes ideas of "ideal" or "perfect" body shapes, such as "healthier, happier you" and "bikini body", will also be banned, as will "magic", "art" or "sculpt", as they minimise the risks associated with cosmetic surgeries.

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