The Body Shops

Some injured patients say they wish they had tried harder to check the backgrounds of doctors and clinics they trusted, but those records are hard to find.

While federal officials say they are cracking down on misleading drug ads, cosmetic surgery remains a “buyer beware” market.

Some patients who had liposuction or other surgeries later required emergency hospital care — and some died, court records show.

While surgeons argue over who gets the best results, patients may struggle to make sense of credentials.