Cosmetic Medical Tourism – Buyers Beware!

Cosmetic Medical Tourism (CMT) is the burgeoning trend of international travel to receive cosmetic medical care.

So, why would anyone want to travel to a different country with different laws, customs and even a different language for a cosmetic operation?

The answer is the same as why you would want to travel to Hong Kong to buy a camera as opposed to buying it in your city. The main reason is its lower price and availability.

This choice, however, comes with its specific benefits and disadvantages.

The internet and globalisation with online travel agencies (OTA) such as Experia, Tripadvisor and Booking.com have paved the way for online medical agencies (OMA). These third parties facilitate unassisted bookings, enhance the international patient experience with concierge services, and follow a commission-based revenue model.

The offers generally include private hospital services and tout “highly trained” and “credentialed” medical staff. As insurance does not cover elective cosmetic surgery procedures price is the major selling point of cosmetic surgery tourism.

Internet-savvy patients, many influenced by social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, have flocked to these sites to facilitate cosmetic surgery at a cheaper rate. Many millennials (one out of four) are prepared to risk cosmetic surgery abroad despite the risks.

Popular destinations for cosmetic surgery tourism include Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland and Thailand. These destinations offer everything from “spa and surgery” to “tropical, scenic tour” vacation packages.

The majority of patients taking cosmetic surgery vacations have invasive operations. Popular procedures requested include breast augmentation, liposuction, facelift, tummy tucks, eyelid surgery, and rhinoplasty. With the introduction of reality plastic surgery shows, some companies are now even offering “extreme makeovers.”

There is no doubt that Cosmetic Medical tourism is a price-driven phenomenon that is commonly sought after by a subset of patients who may not be sufficiently educated on outcomes and complication rates.

Recent data from the UK and Australia shows that in the event of a complication, patients with insufficient funds may be left with nowhere to turn as Health Insurers and medical aids do not cover these events overseas or at home.

Cosmetic surgery is real surgery and at the highest level of care, every operation, including cosmetic surgery, has risk. This risk may increase when doctors perform procedures during cosmetic surgery vacations. Infections are the most common problem seen in patients that go abroad for cosmetic surgery and complications include unsightly scars, hematomas, and unsatisfactory results.

Although many experts and qualified plastic surgeons are practising all over the world, it may be difficult to assess the training and credentials of these surgeons. Patients may be taking unnecessary risks, when choosing cosmetic surgery vacations, by unknowingly selecting unqualified physicians and having procedures performed in non-accredited surgical facilities.

To perform cosmetic surgery safely and successfully, one needs properly trained surgeons, qualified anaesthetic staff, sterile technique and modern equipment. Vacation destinations may not have proper medical accreditation boards to certify doctors or medical facilities. Many hospitals are privately owned and operated, making it challenging to check surgeon and anaesthetist credentials. There may be no legal recourse if surgical negligence by the physician or hospital occurs.

Many cosmetic surgery procedures, products or devices used in other countries may not have passed stringent requirements for use. An example is breast implants used in the United States, which must meet strict standards of safety before being registered for use.

Online medical agencies market cosmetic surgery trips as holidays. Although alluring, patients must avoid all vacation activities after surgery. I have yet to meet a colleague who would advise their patient to go on holiday immediately after having any invasive cosmetic procedure. To reduce the possibility of complications and properly heal, patients should not sunbathe, drink alcohol, swim, waterski, parasail, take long trips (walking or bus), or exercise after surgery, the same post-op instructions as if they were at home.

Long flights or surgery can increase the risk of developing blood clots of the lower legs and pulmonary embolism. Travel combined with surgery further increases this risk in addition to swelling and infection. Most doctors advise that patients wait at least 7-10 days after body and face procedures before travelling.

Follow-up care is an essential part of any surgery. Cosmetic surgery vacation packages provide insufficient follow-up care, if any, once the patient returns home. Patients who experience a complication at home may find it hard to locate a plastic surgeon to treat the problem or to provide revision surgeries. Local surgeons may not know what procedure the original doctor used making treatment difficult or nearly impossible.

Revision surgeries can be more complicated and expensive than the initial operation and patients rarely get the desired outcome. Many patients who develop complications following cosmetic surgery abroad will incur extra costs often in multiples of their original spend if they are lucky to find a surgeon to correct their complications. Good no cheap and cheap no good.

Bargain surgery can be expensive. So before going online to book your Breast Augmentation in a foreign country at a bargain-basement price.

Do Your Homework. Be Informed and have realistic expectations.

There’s no doubt that cross border plastic surgery is on the rise, but only you can determine if it’s really worth the price.