Dr. Riaz Agha
BSc(Hons), MBBS, MSc (Oxon), D.Phil (Oxon), FHEA, FRSA, FRSPH, FRCS (Ed), FRCS (Plast.), FEBOPRAS
"I just love what I do - Plastic Surgery blends science and art, technical skill, attention to detail and a deep understanding of the human condition"
Dr Riaz Agha is an award-winning Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon working on Harley Street. He is certified as a Cosmetic Surgeon by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and is on the General Medical Council’s Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery. He trained in London and completed a prestigious International fellowship in Belgium where he was also awarded a licence to Practice by the Ordre des Medicins. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in London and teaches on the Wexham Park FRCS Plast. course. He is regularly featured in the top-performing Realself doctors for example in 2022 and 2023.
Dr Agha is double board-certified having taken the final exit exams set by the Royal Colleges in the United Kingdom and the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery. Dr Agha was also awarded his doctorate in Evidence-based healthcare by the University of Oxford (via Balliol College) where he was awarded the prestigious Clarendon Scholarship, awarded to the top 1% of 20,000 Oxford graduate applicants.
Dr Agha graduated from Guy’s, King’s and St. Thomas’ Medical School in London with distinctions and a 1st in his intercalated BSc in Anatomy. He has been awarded 50 academic prizes from institutions like the University of Oxford, the Royal Society of Medicine and the British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (BAPRAS). Mr Agha has published 200 scientific papers and given 150 presentations at national or international level. His research has been cited over 8,000 times and he has written book chapters on nipple and breast anatomy, nipple sparing mastectomy and contributed numerous research papers in the area of fat grafting to the breast to the scholarly literature, including the highly acclaimed VOGUE Study. His research has won the prestigious Harold Ellis Prize three times.
He completed his Plastic Surgical training in the prestigious London Deanery training programme. He rotated around a number of units including: Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College Hospital, Queen Victoria Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster, Royal Free, Royal Marsden and Royal London Hospitals. Additional fellowship level reconstructive (microsurgical) and aesthetic training occurred in London and in Belgium. In 2018, he completed his doctorate in Evidence-based Healthcare at Balliol College, University of Oxford. He subsequently completed his post-doc. He has also previously conducted laboratory research at the prestigious tissue engineering lab at Harvard University/Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He is regularly invited to make contributions as an expert reviewer or author to over 20 journals in the field of Plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic Surgery and Surgery in general.
In 2010, he was awarded a Scholarship from the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for his project on national surgical surveillance. He subsequently worked with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to improve the coverage and focus of their indicators for acute hospital services. In addition, he developed Projections for the NHS Outcomes Framework 2012-13 for the Department of Health and Sir Bruce Keogh. Mr Agha founded the International Journal of Surgery (IJS) as a medical student and this has grown to become one of the most prestigious international surgical journals with over 10,000 articles published amongst the IJS and its sister journals with 10,000,000 annual downloads. He is Honorary Secretary for the Section of Plastic Surgery at the Royal Society of Medicine with board level appointments in the past to; the Elsevier Editorial System Advisory Board, Map of Medicine Fellows Board and the Association of Surgeons in Training. He sits on the Web Committee for the World Association of Medical Editors and has built two websites for NATO. He is formerly a Council Member for the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and an Ambassador for Enterprise UK.
He has been a Consultant on healthcare and technology to a member of the Joint Ventures Board of the Bank of Scotland, former Vice-Chairman of the Governing Council of University College London and the former Chairman of the Further Education Council. He was cited as an “inspirational entrepreneur” by The Rt. Hon. John Hutton MP, Former Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform at his keynote speech during Enterprise week 2007. In 2014 he was awarded Freedom of the City of London and more recently he has become an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur.
Mr Agha prides himself on giving patients safe, effective and high-quality care. He deploys the latest techniques and technologies where appropriate to meet his patients expectations and enhance their quality of life. He works to the highest standards of communication, professionalism and ethics and would be delighted to meet you.
What do his colleagues say:
“He is a committed, hard working, resourceful plastic surgeon. He has very good timekeeping, excellent organisational skills and a lot of common sense. He is technically gifted”
Consultant Plastic Surgeon, London
“I have found him to be an excellent colleague and a skilled surgeon. He is a great team player and has excellent communication skills. He gives all of his patients extremely good care throughout their surgical journey”
Consultant Plastic Surgeon, London
“I believe he is an ethical and skilled scientist who intellect, industriousness and high moral standards would make him a competent surgeon. I believe Dr Agha has already made significant contributions to the field.”
Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Other links
Qualifications
BSc(Hons) – Guy’s, King’s and St. Thomas’ School of Medicine, King’s College London
MBBS – Guy’s, King’s and St. Thomas’ School of Medicine, King’s College London
MSc (Oxon) – University of Oxford
D.Phil (Oxon) – University of Oxford
FHEA – Higher Education Academy
FRSA – Royal Society of Art
FRSPH – Royal Society of Public Health
FRCS (Ed) – Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
FRCS (Plast.) – Royal College of Surgeons of England
FEBOPRAS – European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery
- 2018 – Harold Ellis Prize – runner up
- 2017 – Harold Ellis Prize 2017
- 2016 – European Health Innovation Collaborative Conference 2016 Oral Presentation Prize (presented by colleague)
- 2015 – Joint 1st place prize – Royal Society of Medicine Section of Plastic Surgery, Fat Therapy and Therapeutic Challenges
- 2015 – Ethicon Foundation Fund Travel Award, Royal College of Surgeons of England
- 2015 – Brackenbury Fund, Balliol College, University of Oxford
- 2015 – BAPRAS Paton Masser Memorial Fund Prize
- 2015 – BAPRAS European Scholarship
- 2015 – Gibson Prize – best paper, Society of Academic and Research Surgery
- 2014 – Freedom of the City of London
- 2014 – Top 50 Submitted Abstracts, ESPRAS 2014 Conference
- 2014 – Operation Smile Stryker Fellowship
- 2014 – Balliol Interdisciplinary Institute Grant
- 2013 – Gibson Prize – best paper in Plastic Surgery
- 2013 – Clarendon Fund Scholarship, University of Oxford
- 2012 – Research Visit Grant, Dept. of Public Health, King’ College London
- 2012 – Research Support Grant, Kellogg College, University of Oxford
- 2011 – Scholarship, Kellogg College, University of Oxford
- 2011 – Scholarship, MSc Surgical Science and Practice, University of Oxford
- 2010 – Scholarship, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
- 2005 – Distinction in Basic Medical Sciences, King’s College London
- 2005 – Distinction in Special Studies, King’s College London
- 2004 – The Riker GKT Elective Award, King’s College London
- 2004 – Travel Grant, European Wound Management Association
- 2004 – British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons
Student Bursary - 2004 – British Association of Dermatologists Undergraduate Elective Award
- 2004 – British Microcirculation Society’s Laboratory Visit Grant
- 2004 – Diabetes UK Medical Elective Award
- 2004 – Wellcome Trust Student Elective Prize
- 2004 – British Geriatrics Society – Medical Students’ Elective and Vacation
Project Grant - 2004 – Clothworkers Foundation Award
- 2004 – The Vandervell Foundation Research Grant
- 2004 – British Medical and Dental Students’ Trust Award
- 2004 – The Mary Datchelor Trust Educational Grant
- 2003 – The Brigadier Haywood Prize – shortlisted presentation
- 2002 – The Wellcome Trust’s Vacation Scholarship
- 2001 – PPP Foundation Intercalated BSc Scholarship (open competition)
- 2001 – Pickering Prize, Year 2 SSM, Biomolecular Sciences,
King’s College London - 2000 – Scholarship in Pre-Clinical Medicine awarded in open competition
09/2020 – Advanced course in HA Dermal Filler Injection, London School of Facial Aesthetics
09/2020 – Advanced course in Botulinum Toxin Type A, London School of Facial Aesthetics
04/2019 – The Royal Marsden Hospital Management Course
03/2019 – Good Clinical Practice, National Institute for Health Research
11/2018 – BAAPS Fat Transfer Course
09/2018 – Advanced Microsurgical Course, Columbia University, New York, USA
09/2018 – Imperial Cadaveric Flap and Microsurgery Course, Charring Cross Hospital, London
06/2018 – National Plastic Surgery Research Forum, Royal Free Hospital
03/2018 – Dallas Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine & Rhinoplasty Course
02/2018 – Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Europe
08/2017 – Duke Flap Course, Duke University, USA
05/2017 – Advanced Trauma Life Support Course (ATLS) reverification, Chelmsford
05/2017 – A masterclass in rhinoplasty, Royal Society of Medicine, London.
04/2016 – Advanced Skills in Breast Disease Management, Royal College of Surgeons of England.
03/2016 – Enhancing Your Consultation Skills, London Professional Support Unit, NHS Health Education England.
02/2016 – Surgical Aesthetics Educational Day, Allergan Medical Institute.
09/2015-01/2016 – Specialty Skills in Breast eLearning Programme, RCS England.
01/2016 – Breaking Bad News, London Professional Support Unit, NHS Health Education England.
10/2015 – Training the Trainers: Developing Teaching Skills, The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
06/2015 – Operation Smile, Next Leadership Conference, Virginia Beach, USA.
03/2015 – Facial Rejuvenation Workshop, Dr Benoit Hendrickx and Galderma, Brussels.
07/2014 – Masterclass Pro-section, Facial Aesthetics, ESPRAS 2014.
05/2014 – The London Symposium on Reconstructive Microsurgery, Royal Society of Medicine.
05/2014 – Masterclass – Immediate Breast Reconstruction, Allergan Medical Institute, BMA House.
05/2014 – Masterclass – Breast Augmentation, Allergan Medical Institute, BMA House.
10/2012 – A master class in rhinoplasty surgery, Section of Plastic Surgery, Royal Society of Medicine.
- Agha RA, Wellstead G, Sagoo H, Al-Omran Y, Barai I, Rajmohan S, Borrelli M, Vella-Baldacchimo, Orgill DP, Rusby JE. Therapeutic Nipple-sparing versus Skin-sparing Mastectomy: A Systematic Review. British Journal of Surgery Open 2018;3(2):135-145. PMID: 30957059.
- Borrelli MR, Farwana R, Andrew TW, Chicco M, Abukhder M, Mobarak D, Thavayogan R, Agha R, Pidgeon TE.Assessing the compliance of randomised controlled trials published in craniofacial surgery journals with the CONSORT statement. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery 2019;30(1):96-104. PMID: 30444780.
- Panayi A, Agha R, Sieber B and Orgill DP. Impact of obesity on outcomes in breast reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery 2018;34:363-375. PMID: 29510420.
- AghaRA, Pidgeon TE, Borrelli MR, Dowlut N, Orkar TK, Ahmed M, Pujji O, Orgill DP, for the VOGUE Group. Validated Outcomes in the Grafting of Autologous Fat to the breast – the VOGUE Study: Development of a core outcome set for research and audit studies. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2018;141(5):633e-638e. PMID: 29697603.
- Agha RA, Devesa M, Whitehurst K, Fowler AJ, Coe R, Wellstead G, Orgill DP, McCulloch P. Levels of Evidence in Plastic Surgery – Bibliometric Trends and Comparison with Five Other Surgical Specialties. European Journal of Plastic Surgery 2016;39(5):365-70.
Agha RA, Gundogan B, Fowler AJ, Bragg TW, Orgill DP. The Efficacy of the Cook-Swartz Implantable Doppler in the Detection of Free Flap Compromise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery Open 2016;01(02):073-081.
Agha RA, Wellstead G, Sagoo H, Al Omran Y, Barai I, Rajmohan S, Fowler AJ, Orgill D and Rusby J. Nipple Sparing versus Skin Sparing Mastectomy: A Systematic Review Protocol. BMJ Open 2016 20;6(5):e010151. PMID: 27207622.
Agha RA and Orgill DP. Evidence-Based Plastic Surgery: Its Rise, Importance, and a Practical Guide. Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2016;36(3):366-71. PMID: 26746230.
Agha R, Lee S, Jeong KJL, Fowler A and Orgill DP. Reporting Quality of Observational Studies in Plastic Surgery Needs Improvement: A Systematic Review. Annals of Plastic Surgery 2016;76(5):585-9. PMID: 25643190.
Agha RA, Fowler AJ, Pidgeon TE, Wellstead G and Orgill DP. The need for core outcome reporting in autologous fat grafting for breast reconstruction. Annals of Plastic Surgery 2016;77(5):506-512. PMID: 26545226.
- Agha RA, Fowler AJ, Herlin C, Goodacre T and Orgill DP. Use of Autologous Fat Grafting for Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive and Surgery 2015;68:143-161. PMID: 25591409.
- Panayi A, Agha R, Sieber B and Orgill D. Impact of obesity on outcomes in breast reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Evidence Live 2017, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, 21st June 2017.
- Panayi A, Agha R, Sieber B and Orgill D. Impact of obesity on outcomes in breast reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. World Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery, Seoul, South Korea, 17 June 2017.
- Agha RA, Fowler AJ, Pidgeon TE, Wellstead G and Orgill DP. The Need for Core Outcome Reporting in Fat Grafting – Launching the VOGUE Study. Fat Therapy and Therapeutic Challenges, Royal Society of Medicine Section of Plastic Surgery, 13 October 2015 (oral presentation – joint first place prize).
Agha RA, Devesa M, Whitehurst K, Fowler AJ, Coe R, Wellstead G, Orgill DP, McCulloch P. Levels of Evidence in Plastic Surgery – Bibliometric Trends and Comparison with Five Other Surgical Specialties. American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2015, McCormick Centre, Chicago, USA 8th October 2015.
- Agha RA, Devesa M, Whitehurst K, Fowler AJ, Coe R, Wellstead G, Orgill DP, McCulloch P. Levels of Evidence in Plastic Surgery- Bibliometric Trends and Comparison with Five Other Surgical Specialties. The Association of Breast Surgery (ABS) Conference 2015, Bournemouth International Centre, UK, 15th June 2015 (poster- presented by R. Agha and G. Wellstead).
Quick Profile
Name: Dr Riaz Agha
Address: 10 Harley Street, London W1
Phone: 0203 582 4947
Email: [email protected]
Speciality:Plastic Surgery