Cosmetic surgery tourism, vanity trips... However you spin it, the number of people opting for plastic surgery abroad is on the rise. Estimates suggest a growth of approximately 15-25% each year, while Mintel reports that adults aged 25-34 are the most trusting of foreign cosmetic surgery clinics – and according to the surgeons, it's mainly women booking in.
Popular destinations include Turkey, Tunisia, the Dominican Republic and the Czech Republic, according to Mr. Naveen Cavale, consultant plastic & reconstructive surgeon at King's College Hospital, and London and Dubai-based plastic surgeon, Dr. Roberto Viel. But why not choose home?
"Much of the appeal in travelling abroad for cosmetic surgery is the lower cost," said Jack Duckett, senior consumer lifestyles analyst at Mintel, something Mr. Cavale expands on. "Like many things, cosmetic surgery is often much cheaper abroad," he says. "For example, surgery in Turkey is less than half the cost compared to the UK." Dr. Viel also mentions that the rise could be because there is no longer a stigma attached to plastic surgery. "People tend to be very open about their treatments, talking to friends, family and even posting about it on social media," he says, while Duckett suggested that the popularity could also be attributed to these countries offering a holiday experience during the recovery period. Poolside Negroni post-nose job? No wonder many see it as one of the better ways to recuperate.
Mr. Cavale pinpoints abdominoplasty (tummy tucks), breast augmentation, buttock implants, fillers and fat transfers and brachioplasty (arm lifts) among the more common procedures booked abroad. But here's the million-dollar question: Is it really as safe as some of us believe?
"Most countries ensure that a high level of quality care is maintained with all surgery, but this isn't the case for everywhere," says Dr. Viel. According to Mr. Cavale, part of the issue is returning home after surgery as quickly as some women do – usually one to two weeks. Over a five-year period, he has seen 24 women who have had serious problems following cosmetic surgery abroad. "If you have problems once home, it can be very difficult to then get hold of your surgeon," he explains. "Eventually, many of these women end up in their local NHS department. There can also be a problem with quality, for example breast implants, and treating infection, because bacteria are different around the world."
However, the continuing incline suggests women won't be deterred. "Anyone considering a treatment should research the clinic and surgeon to find out as much as possible about the credentials and reputation of whom they are seeing," advises Dr. Viel. "It's also imperative to have a consultation with the surgeon performing the procedure beforehand to be sure that they qualify you for the surgery and explain the procedure in detail, including complications. Remember, though – there may be little to no follow-ups, and should complications appear, you may struggle to find a UK-based surgeon that will help."
Click through to read four women's experiences of going under the knife abroad...
I travelled to Taksim in Istanbul for a nose job and my experience was brilliant.
It cost me £2,300 – that was with transport between the airport, hotel and hospital when needed. I booked everything over email with the hospital and they asked me to send photos of my nose and to describe what I wanted. I did my research beforehand, but someone I know went to this hospital for a hair transplant, so I trusted it more. That put me at ease, because I know that going abroad can be a risk. I also chose Istanbul because I was quoted so much more here in the UK – around £5,000 – and in my opinion, the Turkish before-and-after photos showed better results.
I made sure I booked a 5* hotel for extra comfort and Turkey is relatively cheap, so overall, a week’s stay cost me £300 with flights. The day I landed, I went straight to the hospital for my consultation and my surgeon explained everything thoroughly. He could speak English, but I also had a translator allocated to me to help me understand better. I had my surgery the very next day and stayed in the hospital for two nights – the hospital staff made me feel reassured. I went back to my hotel for the rest of the time to recover, which was great, and on my last day I went back to the surgeon to have my cast taken off. Then it was back to London to recover fully.
I didn't have any follow-up appointments as my surgeon said that wasn't necessary, but I have been in contact with my translator, who I spent a lot of time with while there. She's always there for a chat and to listen to my general updates. I've had no problems, thank goodness, and I'm overjoyed with the result.
Georgia*, 23
I chose to go to Tunisia to have my tummy tuck done because three of my friends had the same surgery there previously. It cost me £3,200, so I thought I'd save money. One of my friends went to Harley Street to have it done and she spent over £4,000. This trip included a holiday, so I thought it was a good offer, but my experience was terrible.
When I got there, I realised there was a language barrier between my surgeon and I, and we had to talk through an interpreter. I was only in hospital for a day or two and the aftercare was awful. When I came back to the hotel, I was still bleeding and when a nurse finally arrived, she didn't know what to do. I was also told I would receive painkiller injections in the days following but no one came.
I didn't talk to any surgeons or doctors beforehand and no one explained the procedure. If you were to ask me how much fat they had taken out, I'd have no idea because the surgeon didn't tell me anything. Before I booked the procedure, the hospital called me non-stop and the communication was brilliant and after the surgery, the interpreter asked me to send pictures of the results, but when I tried to contact them, there was no answer – nothing. You should be able to go back to your surgeon for help if there's a problem, but they were ignoring me.
When I got home, the swelling wouldn't go down so I knew something was wrong. I planned on going back but my friends and family deterred me and I went to A&E three times before I was able to get it sorted, and that meant going under the knife again just to get the fluid out. I was fine for a while, but a few months down the line, it didn't feel quite right again, so I was referred. I had scans and injections to drain even more fluid. Nearly a year later, I'm still not feeling well.
Gloria*, 47
I went to Bangkok in Thailand for my breast reduction, something I have wanted since I was a teenager with 32F boobs. I booked through a third-party agency via email and telephone after reading brilliant reviews online. The cost convinced me – it was a great deal cheaper than the UK at £3,000 – and I'd heard that the level of care in Thailand was exceptional. They couldn't do enough for me and were so hospitable. Plus, I got to have a few weeks' holiday in the sun in a beautiful (and very affordable) hotel.
When I got there, the hospital staff and consultant surgeon were so knowledgeable and helpful. At the consultation, which was three days before my surgery, they discussed all eventualities with me, good or bad, which gave me a clear indication of what to expect on the day and after surgery.
Immediately before surgery, I had a discussion in English with the anaesthetist who was extremely reassuring as I went under. After around four hours, the surgery was complete and I regained consciousness with a nurse by my side. I immediately had the shakes and felt very unwell after surgery – the foreign environment really startled me – but the nurses made sure I was warm and told me that I would be okay and that this was all a part of the recovery. I was taken to my very own room where the staff made sure I had everything I needed and could contact them at any time. I had regular visits from the nurse to make sure my dressings were clean and that my drains were removed with very little pain, but on one side, the removal was absolute agony. Luckily, my sister was there with me the entire time.
After a couple of days, I was allowed to go back to my hotel room but I needed to revisit the surgeon a week later so that he could remove my staples, which was extremely painful again. I went down to a 32B. Post-surgery, I had no complications but I am left with faint, puckered, pink scars under my breasts. There is a slight numbness there and over the course of a few years, they have actually grown to a C cup, but I've heard this is pretty normal.
Daniella*, 32
I had a nose job in Tehran, Iran, and it cost me £2,300.
I was born in London but my family actually originate from Iran and I first visited five years ago when I went to study art. So many women there have had something done to their nose, whether it's shaving the bridge down to make it look more "feminine" or lifting the tip so it doesn't look as "droopy" – they call it the "nose job capital of the world". I was staying with my Iranian family, who would always comment on my pronounced nasal bone (which I hated since I was a child) and often tried to push me into having consultations with their surgeons, arguing that they were "the best". This made me dislike my nose even more. When I came back to the UK, I couldn't get the idea out of my head, so I decided to go for it and I booked the procedure and my flight back to Iran on the same day. My plan was to have the surgery, relax for a few weeks and then fly home.
Luckily, I had my aunt there to interpret during my consultation (only two days before the actual surgery) because I have no idea how I would have coped otherwise. I remember the anaesthetist helping me count down from 10 in Farsi as I went under – everyone was kind but the lack of a common language panicked me. I had my bridge shaved down and was in and out of surgery in about four hours. The swelling was terrifying, but the surgeon told me this was normal. Eight days later, the cast was removed and I flew home a few weeks after that.
Some months later, I noticed strange changes in my cartilage, which I'm not happy with at all, but I find it difficult to contact my surgeon as often as I want to. Most of my emails go unanswered and the language barrier doesn't help. I would also have liked face-to-face follow-up appointments in the months afterwards (they're routine in the UK) just to make sure everything was okay. Instead, I looked to my GP for reassurance, but I was shrugged off, like it wasn't their problem. I wouldn't have anything else done abroad. I'd feel safer here if anything were to go very wrong.
Mehri, 27
*Some names have been changed
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