Sometimes we wonder about how loosely the whole cosmetic surgery field is being regulated. And despite the huge media attention this industry is getting, are any investigative journalists actually covering it?

Last year a dermatologist claimed that botox helps alleviate depression. His little study got enormous press coverage and we started seeing articles pop up everywhere that botox may be a cure for depression. Yet the sample size was only ten people, and these were clients who came to him because he was advertising botox as a cure for depression.

The majority of people who say they feel depressed at any given time will not be feeling depressed eight weeks later. And is it not likely that depressed people who seek an anti-wrinkle injection as a cure for their depression may not be representative of the typical clinically depressed person?

The story gets more interesting because this same dermatologist also does liposuction on his clients. And he has released another study which concludes that one surprising and blossoming side effect of liposuction is an increase in breast size - "of up to two bra cup sizes"! - in 43 percent of women. Yes, you heard it right. You can get fat removed from one area of your body, and it's likely this will result in extra lovely fat growing on your breasts. This study is now also getting serious media coverage.

There is a tempting bias for media people (particularly bloggers like us) to report on these fascinating claims even if the underlying studies may be scientifically dubious.

There may be scientific validity to these studies. It's just that we're not seeing the educated discussions or analysis by people who have some serious knowledge in this area. Can we expect newspapers to invest in journalists who are paid to take the time to find and interview unbiased medical experts about these findings?

This issue highlights the need for people to realize that cosmetic surgery should not be embarked on lightly. Don't automatically believe what you read unless you are sure the source is credible and does not benefit financially from their recommendations. Seek out non-profit sources of information to answer your questions about the complete picture of what you can expect in terms of realistic results, risks and side-effects.

One non-biased source might be the Harvard Medical School's recent report on cosmetic surgery procedures . This book costs only $14 and discusses side-effects and risks in detail.

What other unbiased sources would people recommend? Where can we find such info online?

The photo above is by powerbooktrance.