[Medico-legal pitfalls in surgical dermatology. Instructive examples and practical consequences]

In principle, all surgical interventions should only be carried out if the surgeon can show that he/she has actually received training for the intervention. However, the most important factor is probably the surgical information sheet signed by the patient and the consent form. Preoperative photo documentation can be very important and should be compiled before any cosmetic surgery and, if possible, before all other operations too. In the event of a lawsuit, the surgeon should initially remain calm and refrain from making any rash admissions of guilt, certainly not in writing. In the worst case, this might mean that the surgeon's liability insurer is not obliged to settle a claim.