Things You Need to Know before You Get Plastic Surgery Abroad

As we know, the expenses behind getting plastic surgery are many, they’re even more costlier in our country. Because of this steep and rising costs, more Americans prefer going abroad to get their nips and tucks. Just last year, the most popular plastic surgery destinations were the U.K., Costa Rica, Israel, Singapore and our friendly neighbor, Canada. Pocket friendly prices aside, medical tourism, with respect to plastic surgery, has a very dark side too.

Just last year, a beauty contest contender from LA was hospitalized after developing a life-threatening infection due to badly administered thigh injections. Then in April, a lady who had flown into the Dominican Republic, passed away after experiencing complications post a liposuction procedure. In May, a resident of San Diego travelled all the way to Tijuana for a procedure, but ended up in a coma after suffering from an allergic reaction from the antibiotics given to her after the surgery.

Considering these horror stories and the many risks involved in getting plastic surgery done abroad, you might want to weigh the options before you and ask yourself if it’s really worth it to get operated on abroad, just to save some money. Here are some things you need to consider;

Check if your doctor is accredited or certified

Always look for a doctor who comes accredited by some professional organization like International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery or maybe The American Society of Plastic Surgeons. As both these bodies have the highest standards of requirements regarding certification, training, medical education, and hospital privileges, they allow for international doctors to be accredited under them. Every country would have their own body of accreditation and it would be difficult to know and understand the processes of certification in every country, which you are considering for your procedure. The members of these bodies or professional societies are the safer option for you to go with, to make sure that your doc is well trained.

Think of and ask loads of questions

When undergoing a procedure, you safety and heath are of utmost importance. So do not stop with the Google searche. Find out about the surgeon, the practice or clinic that hires them, history and the facility where you would be undergoing the procedure. Find out if there are any reviews or complaints about them online. Ask the doctors about the local standards of care, what would happen if an emergency takes place and if you would need to hire a translator in case the surgical staff or nurses do not understand English.

What recourses are you privy to

You could sue your US based doctor for negligence and medical malpractice if a procedure or the after case goes awry, but you may not be able to in other countries. The same for privacy laws, although the US protects you through HIPAA (though which your information cannot be shared with any third parties), the laws vary with different countries. It would be wise if you understand what local and international laws apply to you before you schedule your surgery in a different country.

Evaluate all risks

Any surgery will have risks, but the risks increase when you factor in all the things that can go wrong before, during and after a surgery at your preferred foreign destination. For instance, if you wish to fly right after a surgery, you might not be given medical clearance to fly back to your country as you may develop blood clots in the pressurized plane, which could prove fatal.

Also, factor in this is your plan. If you develop any kind of ill effects, infection or complication for a surgery, you should be prepared to go back to the doctor who performed the original procedure, whatever the cost involved. This is because most doctors have their own pre and post operation procedures of care and may refuse to see anybody else’s patient.

Check before booking any vacation activity

May be the destination you’ve chosen for your surgery, boasts of excellent beaches. You’re already there so might as well may hay while the sun shines, right? Well, of course you should but do check with your doctor first if you can indulge yourself with hiking, swimming, sunbathing, or drinking right before or after the surgery.

For a majority of the people around the world, the main thing that draws them to medical tourism is the fact that they get the best medical care that is possible, while at the same time it is not so expensive. Just so that we are clear, we are not anti-medical tourism, there are plenty of people who have had cosmetic surgeries abroad and are very happy with the outcome. But in the world of cheap plastic surgery, you generally get what you paid for. Choose your doctor and destination wisely, as plastic surgery has many deep consequences.