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Plastic surgery abroad
What should you watch out for?
By Pierre Coda
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Getting your plastic surgery done in another country (where costs are lower than where you live) is no longer a big deal. While I believe that some medical
fraud exists in the United States and any other developed
country, it is somewhat more prevalent in countries that offer cheap plastic surgery. It does
not mean that you should not travel abroad for plastic surgery - it just means that you
must do your homework and be careful. “It’s important to do it right with
careful planning from the start. A medical traveler is almost always on a tight time schedule, with no spare hours for delays or changes,” says Julie Munro,
CEO and Chief Medical Concierge of Cosmetic Surgery Travel. She also has ten excellent tips for you if you are considering
plastic surgery in a different
country. |
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Plan ahead, especially if you’ll be traveling at peak tourist times: You’ll be competing for treatment with other medical travelers and for hotel space with
regular tourists. Also plan the treatments you want to have.
(Related:
Offshore
plastic surgery)
Don’t rely only on the Internet for your research: The Internet is an excellent starting point for research. So visit websites of these clinics, learn more
about them, take notes, and then develop a short list. If you know someone who has had plastic surgery overseas, get their input. At that point you may
also want to work with a medical concierge like Munro. Once you pick one or two surgeons, dig deeper. Call their clinic before you make up your mind, ask
questions about the facilities and the credentials of the surgeon who will be performing your operation, and get it all in writing. Munro suggests that
before you go, know your costs, procedures, dates and times of the
consultation and
surgery, number of nights in the hospital and contact names and telephone numbers your family can use to reach you. (Related
article: Questions
to ask your cosmetic surgeon about safety)
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Don’t be stingy with your vacation time: Take advantage of the medical attention that’s available to you during recovery so that your return home is
uneventful. Better to spend an extra day or two in recovery than to start traveling too soon. Next, you need to set aside enough time to recover.
Eye and
nose procedures can take as little as 45 minutes but patients will need three days to a week to
recover
completely. I also do not support a true vacation
with your surgery. Focus on getting your surgery right - the vacation
can come later. (Related:
Plastic surgery recovery retreats)Don’t cut costs by going with the lowest bidder:
Keeping down the cost of surgery or staying at a budget hotel may sound like a good idea at first, but
experience shows you may be sorry later. You should also plan for any unexpected costs.
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Don't feel you're stuck with the doctor you first chose when you were at home: First, be
very skeptical of a doctor who insists on full/partial payment prior
to your arrival. If you have to, a token deposit is all that you might need to confirm your appointment. And for this purpose you should use your credit
card rather than pay cash. And when you arrive, if you do not like something, either renegotiate or just walk away rather than risk your life. Don’t take
stupid chances, advises Munro. |
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