Medical Tourism Is Risky Business

Have you been long considering changing something about your appearance? You’re not alone.

Yet, finances are tight for many of us these days. And since health insurance doesn’t cover most plastic surgery procedures, folks are turning to medical tourism as what they believe is the ideal solution for finding plastic surgery at a discount.

Unfortunately, medical tourism is risky business and should be approached with extreme caution. Because it doesn’t take much for a dream vacation to become a nightmare.

Seeking Savings South of the Border

If you’re not familiar, medical tourism is the term for people traveling to other places, usually internationally, to get medical procedures at a lower price point.

One of the hottest destination countries offering discount plastic surgery is Mexico. Low-cost body contouring procedures such as tummy tucks and liposuction are among the most popular surgeries. Columbia and the Dominican Republic are also making names for themselves. Meanwhile, more east of the border Turkey is establishing itself as the mecca for male hair transplants and rhinoplasty.

While medical tourism typically involves international travel, plastic surgeons around the United States are experiencing people coming across state lines in hopes of finding a better deal too.

Whether traveling near or far for plastic surgery can be problematic, to say the least.

Medical Tourism Is Risky Business

One of the problems with surgeons offering low prices on plastic surgery procedures in Mexico is that it draws attention away from those who are legitimate and highly professional doctors. The ones, in other words, who are not offering discounted prices. And there are plenty.

What’s more, even though plastic surgeons in the United States are highly trained physicians with the most advanced medical technology doesn’t mean every last one of them is ethical. Any time a professional offers a lowball price, it’s a red flag.

So whether staying domestic or going abroad, patients traveling to score a low price on a plastic surgery procedure are taking a lot of chances. There are many risks associated with medical tourism. These not only include those of health, legal, and safety varieties – which are all important. But patients must also consider the quality and continuity of care and the real possibility of infection, blood clots, and wound separation.

In addition, patients looking for a good deal need to factor in costs for accommodations while in recovery since they will be advised not to travel after their procedure. All of this begs the question:

Are the Savings Worth It?

As any highly qualified board-certified plastic surgeon in the U.S. can tell you, the requirements to become a plastic surgeon vary from country to country. And many American surgeons have seen their fair share of medical tourism mishaps – including women who had breast implants that hadn’t been sterilized which led to serious infection due to fungus growing on the implants.

These patients believed they were saving money but then ended up spending far more on revision surgery and wound care. Plus, any kind of revision surgery is going to cost more than the primary surgery. They’re more complex because of scar tissue and the unpredictability of what the surgeon may find.

Stick Closer to Home

Medical tourism is risky business for sure. For patients who know how to ask all the right questions and can speak the language of the surgeon, there’s a chance they could save a little money. A chance.

But most patients would prefer to know they’re in good hands with a professional near them who has their best interests at heart.

So if you’re looking to change up your appearance and feel better about yourself, contact us today. During your free consultation, you’ll find peace of mind in knowing that you’re in the best hands possible. And you won’t need to pack your bags.