Private clinics at the centre of the PIP breast implant scandal are claiming they do not have "the skills" to treat affected patients, experts have warned.
The NHS is receiving referrals from private clinics if patients' implants have ruptured, claiming they cannot help them themselves, The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has said.
Around 40,000 women in the UK received implants manufactured by the now closed French company Poly Implant Prostheses (PIP), with around 5% of operations carried out on the NHS and the rest in private UK clinics.
The implants were filled with non-medical grade silicone intended for use in mattresses.
The Government has said NHS patients will get their PIP implants removed for free and has called on private clinics to do the same.
Several major companies have agreed to honour the same deal but BAAPS said too many were referring patients to the NHS in what could be a "cost-containment" move.
BAAPS president, Fazel Fatah, said: "One of the side effects from ruptured PIP implants is an inflammatory response in the tissues exposed to the silicone - which is known to be of industrial, rather than medical grade.
"This can manifest as lumps and bumps in the chest area, under the breast, and enlarged lymph nodes.
"The lumps that form around the breast - a reaction to free silicone known as granulomas - can vary in size and if large may require being surgically removed.
"The lymph glands, which are located in the armpits, act as a filter mechanism and they can become affected and engorged.
"If greatly enlarged or painful they may require removal after investigation.
"Any qualified plastic surgeon can easily address these issues, make the appropriate decisions and manage arrangements for investigation in an effective manner - it is part of standard training.
"Although it may be ostensibly reassuring that untrained practitioners aren't just trying to 'have a go' at complex procedures, these actions then beg the question: who are the surgeons performing the implant replacements and what training have they undergone?
"Otherwise, one may be pardoned for assuming that this initiative is purely a cost-containment exercise. The alternative doesn't bear thinking of."
Former BAAPS president Nigel Mercer added: "I've recently seen a number of patients with lumps in their armpits - in one woman's case, the surgeon directly admitted to her not having the skills to remove them.
"In another instance, the clinic itself told the patient their surgeons weren't competent enough to perform the procedure.
"Either these clinics' practitioners aren't qualified plastic surgeons as is generally claimed on their websites, which is clearly alarming, or they don't want to bear the costs of caring for their own patients.
"Frankly, neither option should be acceptable to the women affected."