As another plastic surgery tourist disaster makes headlines, London based plastic surgeon Ms Angelica Kavouni highlights issues of travelling abroad for surgery

Ms Angelica Kavouni FRCS EBOPRAS Cosmetic Surgeon • Jun 29, 2017

Medical-tourism-concept.-503398892_5500x3667.jpg   It saddens me to read about yet another woman suffering after seeking surgery abroad.  It’s unclear the reason(s) for her issues, but the fact remains that her surgeon, who is based in Turkey was not able to help.

Undergoing cosmetic surgery has become increasingly socially acceptable over the past decade, with consumers being more open about having procedures and often with celebrities leading the way.  It’s great that many people no longer feel the need to hide the fact they have undergone plastic surgery, but I think this trend has a downside.

Aside from unreasonable expectations,  many patients do not fully appreciate that surgery involves a certain amount of risk – especially when a general anaesthetic is involved.  In addition, post operative problems can occur, and often not immediately after surgery but days or weeks afterwards (even in the most competent and experienced hands.)

Of course fully qualified surgeons practice abroad, but it’s not that easy to check their credentials.  Often surgery abroad is offered by big clinics and it can be difficult to find out if you .  Here are some questions to consider:

  1. Can you meet your surgeon before surgery?
  2. Will I be seen by the same surgeon post operatively? If not, why not?
  3. Be honest about your past and current medical history – many private clinics do not perform through pre-operative assessments. This is when health issues can be identified
  4. See around 3 surgeons in consultation before you make up your mind.
  5. Research your surgeon, how many of these procedures have they performed? Are they on a specialist register (ie EBOPRAS – the European decide to UK’s BAAPS)
  6. Can you talk to a past patient who has been operated on by this surgeon?

Do not make a decision on price point alone – this is not the time to be saving pennies.  If you do still decide to go abroad for your procedure then I would advise to stay near the clinic for a full 2 weeks post operatively so any immediate issues can be identified and dealt with.   Some reputable clinics/surgeons will have allocated surgeons based in the UK to offer follow up care, which is good practice.

 

 

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