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Plastic Surgery Abroad

There is always the option of going abroad for your plastic surgery. It tends to be a lot cheaper and offers the chance to have some ‘work done’ whilst relaxing in an attractive location.

This is an increasingly popular option but it isn’t without its dangers. The procedures may be cheaper but what you have to ask yourself is what do I get for that price? What is and isn’t included? Do I have to pay for extras such as the aftercare service?

If you are thinking about going abroad for surgery then consider the following:

• What are the standards of the clinic like? There are high standards of care in the UK but are they similar if you go abroad? Standards of care can vary from clinic to another or from one country to another.
  
• Do the surgeon and staff speak English? You do not want to be in a situation where something goes wrong and yet you are unable to communicate with the staff.
  
• Is the surgeon ‘board certified’ or reputable? If you are seeking treatment throughout Europe then you will find that cosmetic surgery is well regulated and that the training surgeons receive is very similar to the UK. In fact, some countries will send their surgeons here to be trained. If so then you may find that your surgeon may be listed on the GMC Specialist Register of Plastic Surgery. You will need to ask this surgeon about his or her qualifications in the same way you would ask a UK based surgeon.
  
• What happens after your surgery? Think about whether you are discharged to a hotel or are able to stay in the clinic or hospital. You may have seen photographs of a 5 star hotel on a website or brochure which forms part of your package but this might not be such a good idea. If something goes wrong then the hotel is not best placed to deal with it.
  
• Include the cost of your flight and accommodation in with the package. The price may be cheaper but once you add your travel and accommodation costs then this is likely to increase. In fact, it may end up more expensive than staying in the UK!
  
• You might have to travel abroad for the initial consultation and the aftercare visits. This means paying out for more flights and possibly a hotel stay. If possible, see if you can find a surgeon who is prepared to see you before and after your surgery here in the UK. This means you only have to arrange a flight for the surgery itself.
  
• What state are you going to be after your surgery? You may well be tired and unwell and the last thing you want to have to do is to undertake a long haul flight home. Plus, there is an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis for post surgery patients, especially on long haul flights.
  
• If you suffer any complications once back in the UK then who do you contact? Surgeons in the UK are reportedly seeing an increase in the number of patients who have undergone cosmetic surgery aboard. But, their treatment has been badly done or ‘botched’ and needs correction. This means the NHS is left picking up the pieces. Ideally, you would return to the original provider but are you likely to be up to getting a flight in order to return to that clinic?
  
• The follow up visits are an important factor in the treatment process. This can mean arranging a flight back to the clinic every few weeks or so.
  

Having cosmetic surgery in another country is an attractive option but please, think about this very carefully. Unfortunately, there have been stories in the media of people who have chosen to do this only for it to go horribly wrong!