Cosmetic surgery abroad is becoming increasingly common place, with the cost of many cosmetic procedures being significantly cheaper overseas than at home in the UK.
The cost of a tummy tuck in the UK is typically in the region of £3,800 - £5,200. The cost of the same procedure in Argentina can cost as little as £1,500. With a potential cost saving of £3700, and the bonus of an added holiday, it's not difficult to understand why people are tempted to go abroad to get their Cheryl Cole tummies!
But is it worth choosing where to have your treatment on the basis of price alone?
Claudia Adeotimi, a student from London, recently flew to America to have a buttock enhancement procedure, in the hope that upon returning to the UK, she would be in a better position to pursue her career as a dancer. Unfortunately just 24 hours later she had passed away. The silicone filler used to enhance her buttocks had leaked into her bloodstream, leading to heart failure.
All cosmetic surgery carries risks, with complications including serious life threatening infections that may not develop until days after the procedure.
Most cosmetic surgeons based in the UK will offer the patient - various consultations and appropriate after-care to ensure that any potential complications are identified and dealt with. When cosmetic treatment is received abroad, it is not uncommon for patients to be on a flight home to the UK, without ever having seen their surgeon post-surgery!
If you are considering getting cosmetic surgery abroad then you must understand the different standards that countries operate under. In the UK there are regulations in place, designed to prevent unqualified people holding themselves out as cosmetic surgeons. In some countries there are no such regulations, or the regulations allow for the surgeons to be significantly less qualified than their UK equivalents.
If you are insistent on obtaining treatment abroad (or indeed, even in the UK!) the best way to protect yourself is to research, research, research!
Who is the surgeon that will be performing your procedure? What are their qualifications? (If you can, also establish the credentials of the board that provided the qualification. Are they reputable?)
Ensure that the surgeon speaks English, and insist upon a face-to-face consultation prior to the procedure. Also find out what after-care is provided and take the time to look for online reviews of the treating clinic/surgeon, but be aware that if a review looks too good to be true, it may well have been written by the clinic itself!
Finally be aware that pursuing a legal complaint against a hospital, or surgeon based abroad, is fraught with difficulty. If the procedure was carried out in England, and the treatment you received was inadequate, you would be entitled to make a legal claim. Pursuing such a claim for inadequate treatment received abroad can sometimes be impossible!
