We are a leading group of plastic surgeons, aesthetic physicians, academics, and researchers. The scope of our work looks at establishing an evidence base for aesthetics, how we deliver it and the impact on patient safety.
Our focus ranges from bench to bedside, multicentre clinical trials and larger scale projects on the public health impact on patients nationally and internationally.
Latest feature
Most cosmetic surgery injections in the UK not administered by doctors
A UCL analysis of the UK's cosmetic injectables industry finds 68% of cosmetic practitioners who are administering injections such as Botox are not medical doctors. Professor Ash Mosahebi comments.
Our work
We aim to promote evidence-based work in aesthetic surgery, non-surgical aesthetics, and regenerative medicine. Our aims are:
- To advance critical understanding and evaluation of the clinical theory, practice, and associated research applied to the practice of Minimally Invasive Aesthetics, Aesthetic Surgery and Regenerative Medicine.
- To provide opportunities to apply the clinical theory, practice, and associated research in the provision of Minimally Invasive Aesthetics, Aesthetic Surgery and Regenerative Medicine.
- To provide opportunities to undertake independent research studies in Minimally Invasive Aesthetics, Aesthetic Surgery and Regenerative Medicine.
- To raise awareness on Aesthetic and Regenerative Surgery based on latest evidence via our network experts at Plastic Aesthetic Regenerative Specialists University London.
Our research covers many aspects of aesthetics and reconstructive surgery:
- Beauty concepts
- Public health
- Technology integration including the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
- Pharmacological aspects of the Botulinum toxin and soft tissue fillers including therapeutic efficacy and complication management
- Regenerative medicine
- Clinical trials in reconstructive surgery and microsurgery
- Developing novel surgical and educational technologies
- Clinical translation of image-guided technology for reconstructive surgery.
Clinical Trials
The public health impact of the UK aesthetic injectables market
- Status: Active
- Chief Investigator: Prof. Ash Mosahebi
- Co-investigator: Mr David Zargaran
- Funding: QUAD A
- Supported by JCCP and CPSA
Education
MetaSurgical
A cohort study exploring the use of metaverse technologies in Plastic Surgery sustainability and education
- Status: Recruiting soon
- Chief Investigator: Prof. Ash Mosahebi
- Co-investigator: Mr Alexander Zargaran, Mr David Zargaran
- Funding: CofFEE Grant
AesthetiSim
A serious videogame leveraging cutting-edge technologies including VR, AR and Haptics in Aesthetic Education
- Status: Prototype developed
AI in Facial Aesthetics
A Generative Adversarial Network (AgeGAN) will use predictive analytics to apply to ageing and reverse ageing to facial photographs
- Status: Under development
UCL Aesthetics Faculty
Honorary Professor
Mr Paul Harris
Consultant Plastic Surgeon
Honorary Clinical Associate Professor
Honorary Lecturer
Honorary Senior Lecturer
Dr Uliana Gout
Aesthetic Physician
Professor Foad Nahai
Honorary Associate Professor
Honorary Associate Professor
Honorary Clinical Lecturer
Honorary Clinical Associate Professor
Locum consultant plastic surgeon
NIHR Academic Surgical Trainee
Funding / Partnerships
We work closely with the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (BAAPS), Aesthetic Surgery Journal of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) on areas of common interest.
Our research is funded by several grants from National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), UCL, British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), and industries.
We also work in collaboration with industry nationally and internationally. Our public health work evaluating the impact of the UK aesthetic injectables industry is supported by QUAD A.
This work is further supported by the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP), the Cosmetic Practice Standards Authority (CPSA) and other faculties within UCL - the Global Business School for Health and the Department of Computer Sciences.
Select publications
- Kanapathy M, Faderani R, Mosahebi A, Nikkhah D, et al. (2023) WAFER trial: a study protocol for a feasibility randomised controlled trial comparing wide-awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) to general and regional anaesthesia with tourniquet for flexor tendon repair. BMJ Open.
- Zargaran D, Zargaran A, Mosahebi A, et al. (2023) O161 Profiling UK injectable aesthetic practitioners: a national cohort analysis. British Journal of Surgery.
- Dancey A, Kanapathy M, Mosahebi A, et al. (2023) Summary document on safety and recommendations on liposuction for lipoedema: Joint British Association of aesthetic plastic surgeons (BAAPS)/British Association of plastic reconstructive and aesthetic surgeons (BAPRAS) expert liposuction group. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg.
- Zargaran D, Zargaran A, Sousi S, Mosahebi A, et al. (2023) Cosmetic business mechanics in London: A cross-sectional analysis and audit of ASA compliance. J Cosmet Dermatol.
- Morkuzu S, Kanapathy M, Mosahebi A, et al. (2023) Use of Activated Platelet Rich Plasma (A-PRP) on Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses. Aesthet Surg.
- Zargaran D, Zargaran A, Mosahebi A, et al. (2022) 927 An Analysis of the United Kingdom Education Courses for Aesthetic Practice. British Journal of Surgery.
- Zargaran D, Zargaran A, Mosahebi A, et al. (2022) Facial skin ageing: Key concepts and overview of processes. Int J Cosmet Sci.
- Zargaran D, Zargaran A, Mosahebi A, et al. (2022) Complications of Cosmetic Botulinum Toxin A Injections to the Upper Face: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Aesthet Surg.
- Kanapathy M, Nikkhah D, Singh P, Mosahebi A, et al. (2022) A neuro-plastics approach for extracranial-to-intracranial bypass: Video and technical considerations. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg.
- Zargaran D, Zargaran A, Weyrich T. & Mosahebi, A. (2022). Are NFTs the Answer to Cowboy Cosmetics? Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 42 (7).
- Birkett L, Dhar S, Singh P & Mosahebi, A. (2022). Botulinum Toxin A in the Management of Acne Vulgaris: Evidence and Recommendations. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 42 (7), NP507-NP509.
- McCaughran PW, Zargaran D, Southall C, Mosahebi A, et al. (2022). WALANT: Perceptions, approaches, and contraindications in a tertiary hand surgery unit. Hand Surgery & Rehabilitation, 41 (3), 311-316.
- Rahman E, Banerjee PS, Asghar A, Gupta NK & Mosahebi A. (2022). Botulinum Toxin Type A Immunogenicity across Multiple Indications: An Overview Systematic Review. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 149 (4), 837-848.
- Kanapathy M, Burentuvshin O, Varghese J, Mosahebi A., et al. (2022). Priority setting in breast reconstructive surgery: A DELPHI consensus. Journal of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 75 (4), 1297-1315.
- Goldie K, Cumming D, Voropai D, Mosahebi A, et al. (2021). Aesthetic Delusions: An Investigation into the Role of Rapid Visual Adaptation in Aesthetic Practice. Clinical Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 14, 1079-1087.
- Sadideen H, Akhavani MA, Mosahebi A & Harris PA. (2020). Current perceptions of 'Brazilian butt lift' (BBL) surgery in the UK: A BAAPS-led survey of BAAPS members. Journal of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 73 (11), 1966-1975.
- Georgiou AK, Singh P, Hever P, Arize C & Mosahebi A. (2020). The use of indocyanine green in plastic surgery. Journal of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 73 (9), E8-E9.
Facilities
The multidisciplinary research team are based across world-class facilities at the UCL Division of Surgery and Interventional Sciences and NHS clinicians based at the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Hospital.
Related Courses
Aesthetics (Aesthetic Surgery) MS
Enhance your surgical aesthetics expertise while prioritising patient safety with our flexible, mixed-mode MS in Aesthetic Surgery programme.
Aesthetics (Minimally-Invasive Aesthetics) MS
Advance your skills in patient safety with our flexible MS in Minimally Invasive Aesthetics, designed for busy professionals.
Burns, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery MSc
Gain core knowledge and understanding of the latest plastic and reconstructive surgical techniques on this highly innovative MSc.
Recent events
Last Event: 09-10 September 2023 | ASiT x PLASTA x Royal Free Hackathon
Recent international presentations
- Promoting sustainable surgery, the future of plastic surgery and implementation of machine learning: an evaluation of a plastic surgery hackathon. BAPRAS 2023., Amsterdam.
- WAFER Trial, BSSH Spring Scientific Meeting, Wales, April 2023.
- Conversational Artificial Intelligence in Plastic Surgery: A systematic review. ICOPLAST 2023, Dubai.
- Profiling UK injectable aesthetic practitioners: a national cohort analysis. ICOPLAST 2023, Dubai.
- Cosmetic Business Mechanics in London: A Cross-Sectional Analysis and Audit of ASA Compliance. ICOPLAST 2023, Dubai.
- A Systematic Review of the Impact of TikTok on Plastic Surgery. ICOPLAST 2023, Dubai.
- UK Aesthetics Associations: A Robust Safety Net or Credibility Accessories? ICOPLAST 2023, Dubai.
- A systematic review of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) in Plastic Surgery. Podium Presentation, ICOPLAST 2023, Dubai.
- Complications of facial cosmetic Botulinum Toxin A injections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. ISAPS (2022). Istanbul.
- A NeuroPlastic Approach for Microsurgical Extracranial-to-Intracranial Brain Bypass. 11th Congress of World Society foe Reconstructive Microsurgery 2022, Mexico.
