Cosmetic Surgery Tourism Pitfalls

Americans who are not satisfied with their looks are trying to save money on their plastic surgery makeovers by going abroad. There has been a proliferation of cosmetic surgery tourism packages from exotic locales like Costa Rica, Philippines, Mexico, and Brazil. However, experts warn that cosmetic surgery tourism might result to patients spending more than they expect especially in terms of health and money.

Surgery practices overseas employ the help of travel agencies to attract potential clients from the United States and United Kingdom. Cosmetic procedures plus a vacation package is the common offer which includes your pick of operations for a little as half as the cost in the United States and tour itineraries like resort stays, and spa services.

However, there is a drawback to this seemingly flawless scheme. The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery has certified about 1,500 surgeons in 73 countries who meet U.S. standards. The society has a surgeon finder tool that helps patients choose among the best surgeons in the world. ISAPS says that surgeons who are not included in the list may be good but their credentials can be hard to verify. So it is likely that patients who opt for cosmetic surgery abroad might be in danger of employing the services of an incompetent surgeon.

Another drawback is the difficulty patients go through in finding a US doctor to perform corrective surgery once complications arise. U.S. doctors are reluctant to correct complications incurred abroad for legal reasons.

Patients need to understand the risks that they are taking when opting for cosmetic surgery abroad. The key is to find a skilled surgeon. Also, while it sounds great to be relaxing at the poolside sipping a tropical drink after surgery, vacation activities such as swimming, sunbathing, or drinking can slow down the healing process. They may even contribute to infection or healing, so patients need to think twice about these offers.