Medical bodies such as the NHS, BAPRAS and BAAPS strongly advise against plastic surgery abroad, and for good reason. No matter how luxurious a plastic surgery vacation may seem, there are major risks associated with traveling to undergo cosmetic procedures. In fact, medical bodies such as the NHS, BAPRAS and BAAPS strongly recommend not undergoing plastic surgery abroad, and for good reason. What is at stake is your health and well-being, so you should be informed and make a personal decision if the following risks are really worth taking.
If you are tempted to go abroad for surgery, we have compiled 5 points to consider before you commit. If you're thinking about having surgery abroad, it's worth remembering that, in most cases, “you get what you pay for”. All medical procedures carry a certain risk of infection. Complications resulting from procedures performed in other countries include wound infections, bloodstream infections, donor-derived infections (in the case of transfusions), and diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
All medical procedures carry a risk of complications, but surgery specifically carries a higher risk of wound infections and sepsis. If you are in a tropical country, the bacteria and viruses that inhabit that environment will be different from those present in the Australian hospital environment. Since you may not have been exposed to these bacteria in your lifetime, your body may not have had the opportunity to develop natural immunity or antibodies, putting you at a disadvantage compared to someone who developed natural immunity in that country. Some foreign countries have a higher incidence of blood-borne diseases, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Cosmetic surgery, such as tummy tuck, body lifts or high-volume liposuction, in which post-operation mobility is limited or restricted, further increase the risk of clot formation.
Health facilities in another country may not have adequate infection control practices and medical tourists may be at risk of contracting a drug-resistant infection. Instead of putting your health and safety at risk because of supposed cost savings abroad, schedule a meeting with your doctor and another with a financial advisor. This increases the risk of blood clots forming after surgery due to the sedentary nature of air travel, especially if you book a direct flight after a five- or six-hour surgery. While traveling for a procedure can be a financial benefit, you're more likely to be at greater risk of complications while traveling.
Every surgery comes with a risk, whether performed at a state-of-the-art facility here in Australia or abroad. This could force them to risk their safety or to hire less reputable surgeons who are willing to perform large volumes of surgeries on a daily basis. Especially if surgery is a relatively new or complex technique, you could put your health at risk if the surgeon works too hard, isn't trained enough, or is tempted to save money to save money. During a flight, you are at risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the legs) and pulmonary embolism (blood clots that travel to the lungs) as a result of air travel.
There is a small risk that the infection will not respond and, in some cases, admission to intensive care. If you are taking a long-term flight overseas to undergo cosmetic surgery and then fly back to Australia, you should be aware of the risks of air travel after surgery. While deep vein thrombosis is usually not fatal if treated early, a pulmonary embolism can be a medical emergency, with risk of death. Cosmetic surgery clinics abroad are motivated to minimize or ignore the risk of complications or unwanted results that are always associated with surgery.
The risk of complications depends on the destination, the center where the procedure is performed and your general state of health.
