City health authorities red-flagged plastic surgeon Lee Chin-liang for four violations against health regulations including the use of material unapproved by the government and administrative oversight.

The use of silicone implants before they were conditionally approved by the Cabinet-level Department of Health (DOH) provided the authorities with reason to suspend Lee health care practice license for three months extending over the Chinese New Year next year. Lee had admitted to performing surgery last July 16, after a former patient surnamed Hong came forward to accuse him of malpractice.

The other three counts included misplacement of written consent for surgery, failure to issue receipt for surgery and failure to sign a patient's medical record.

These violations earned Lee a fine of NT$170,000($7310).

He can appeal to the Taipei City Government or DOH within 30 days after receiving a written notice of suspension. He will likely do so because he will potentially lose up to one-third of a year income in his clinic due to the suspension over Chinese New Year - the peak period for cosmetic procedures in Taiwan.

Lee is the son-in-law of Golden-Bell winning TV host Hu Gua and often appears on TV programs to discuss cosmetic procedures. Neither he nor his father-in-law was available for comment.