Your decision to have cosmetic or weight loss surgery is one which shouldn’t be taken lightly.
It requires extensive research, time for reflection and real thought. In other words, it should always be the right decision for you with a provider that has your best interests at heart.
With this in mind, choosing the right provider should always be a primary consideration to make sure you receive the best possible care and are fully supported throughout your journey. When it comes to choosing your cosmetic surgery provider, there are often several considerations on your mind, which probably include at least the following:
Is the surgeon right for me?
Is the provider experienced and well-respected?
Are the surgery facilities safe?
Is the surgery affordable?
The ideal outcome will be a provider which is a combination of all the above, as a minimum requirement. Of course, price will always be one of many important factors in making your decision, but it shouldn’t ever be your only consideration at the expense of good quality care.
This being said, the rise in the number of people choosing to go abroad for their cosmetic surgery procedures reflects the notion that price is becoming pivotal in the decision-making process as overseas providers can appear on the surface to be the cheaper alternative. However, the quality of cosmetic surgery and the care you receive isn’t something that should be compromised in favour of a cheaper cost.
If you are thinking about cosmetic surgery abroad, here are the things worth considering first:
Question 1: First things first, is your surgeon certified to perform your surgery?
It is important to remember that there can be differences in the qualifications required to legally operate on someone as well as clinical standards and how these are enforced.
You will need to really do your research and find out about your surgeon’s medical qualifications and what this means in your chosen country as well as making sure that they are fully registered and certified with the relevant regulatory bodies.
If you are considering cosmetic surgery in a country where English isn’t widely spoken, you should also factor in the possibility of a language barrier.
Remember that all cosmetic surgery procedures, including tummy tucks, liposuction and breast enlargement, come with their own set of risks. All providers need to make these clear to you so that you are fully aware and can make a knowledgeable and informed decision. We would advise against proceeding further if your surgeon can’t effectively communicate what your chosen surgery e.g. rhinoplasty entails, as well as the risks involved.
Question 2: How comprehensive is the consultation stage of your journey?
Many cosmetic surgery providers abroad offer their consultations via Skype or a phone call which may be acceptable to answer any initial questions you may have but this is not enough to determine your suitability for a surgical procedure.
You may have a more detailed face-to-face consultation once you arrive for your surgery in your destination country, but this is often after you have already paid for your surgery either in full or as a deposit. Therefore, ensuring your pre-operative consultation can answer all your questions and give you the opportunity to really get a feel for your chosen cosmetic surgery provider will be an important step.
Question 3: What exactly is included in the price and are there any hidden extras?
More often than not cosmetic surgery abroad can seem cheaper, but it is important to know exactly what the price includes and if there are any hidden extras that you aren’t aware of. You will also need to be sure that the final price is inclusive of post-operative aftercare and follow up appointments, so you are completely covered should you have any worries or concerns after your surgery and require further care and attention.
Besides costs directly involved with the surgery itself, it is also important to consider exactly how long you will need to stay in the country for during the recovery process. For procedures like breast augmentations we would recommend waiting at least two weeks before flying short haul and a minimum of six weeks before flying long haul.
This being said, it might be misleading for cosmetic surgery providers abroad to promote their packages as a holiday. Deciding to have cosmetic surgery is a serious undertaking which shouldn’t be taken lightly and, in the weeks, following surgery, you will need to avoid flying and drinking alcohol as well as keeping your wounds out of the sun. Therefore, you might want to have another think before opting for a surgery as a holiday package or even considering a holiday straight after surgery.
Question 4: Do the hospitals meet health and safety standards?
You should consider that not all countries have the same set of clinical benchmarks and regulations in place to ensure that a minimum level of acceptable health and safety standards are being met so the importance of doing your research can’t be stressed enough. If you’ve not visited the hospital you intend to have your surgery in before, you might want to consider doing so before making your final decision.
Christine Mozzamdar, Head of Operations at The Hospital Group, said:
“Medical tourism is on the rise, with increasing numbers of people traveling to countries such as Turkey for cut price cosmetic surgery or to undergo procedures that are not available in the UK.
“With a growing number of complications reported following surgical procedures abroad, patients considering travelling outside of the UK for cosmetic surgery should exercise caution and conduct extensive research before making any commitments – ensuring they know the name of their surgeon, have thoroughly checked their clinical credentials, and have a full understanding of the aftercare options available to them following their surgery, particularly in the case of an emergency.
Patients should bear in mind that the UK’s cosmetic surgery sector is highly regulated and that the performance of surgeons and providers are strictly monitored by government-backed bodies. The same cannot be said with certainty for providers based outside of the UK.“
Deciding to have cosmetic surgery with us at The Hospital Group…
Choose us and you will receive support and care throughout your experience with complete confidence that your procedure is performed by an expert medical team in state-of-the-art facilities. We have 3 purpose built cosmetic surgery hospitals with a wide network of dedicated clinics across the U.K, all of our which are subject to inspections from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We work hard to provide exceptional standards of surgery and care for our patients. However, we also believe that providing great value is important and our customers appreciate our competitive prices as well as our flexible ways to pay. In fact, our outpatient surveys show that over 90% of our customers rated us as ‘good’ or ‘excellent.’
All our patients receive 3 years free aftercare with our cosmetic surgery. For those who are looking for extra piece of mind, we offer an insurance backed extended aftercare for up to 6 years after your surgery for complete peace of mind.