Take a Vacation from Cosmetic Surgery Vacations

Posted Wednesday, June 4, 2008 to PROCEDURES > Breast

Posted by mmoore

There have been a lot of articles recently about plastic surgery going wrong in the hands of doctors overseas. There have also been a lot of articles about how people are saving money by leaving the U.S. for their surgical procedure. Gee, do you think there's some sort of correlation between what you pay and what you get?

I work with a group of surgeons who perform a variety of plastic surgery procedures including tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) and breast augmentation in Sacramento. I understand the reality that cosmetic surgery is going to cost you more than a haircut or a trip to the cosmetics counter. And I understand the importance of keeping your expenses down, particularly in this challenging economy. But at the same time I respect the concept of "value" - paying a fair price for quality service. Oftentimes, that's just not something you're going to find overseas.

Sure, you can try to exploit exchange rates, and Lord only knows the dollar has taken a beating in comparison to many other currencies. But even if surgery is cheaper in Indonesia or the Caribbean, how do you know you are getting good value? And more importantly, how do you ensure your safety?

The reality is that most other countries (at least the ones where you'll save some money on your plastic surgery) don't have a stable healthcare infrastructure you can count on if something goes wrong. In America, we take for granted the availability of specialists, advanced medical technology, and life-saving drugs in case of emergency. Much of this safety net is just not available in other countries. Do you really want to jeopardize your health and safety to save $500?

And how much is it going to cost you to get to your "plastic surgery getaway"? Face it: gas isn't exactly cheap today, and the airlines are boosting rates sooner rather than later. And don't forget a hotel stay for several days while you recover.

One last issue: what do you do about follow-up care? Most overseas surgeons do not have affiliations with American doctors, and even if they do know a few Yankee surgeons, do they know the people in your area? Probably not. A complication could require a visit to a surgeon who is not familiar with your case and can't attest to exactly what happened during your procedure.

The moral of the story: find a reputable surgeon to perform your breast augmentation in Sacramento or wherever it is you call home. Think globally all you want, but when it comes to plastic surgery, act locally.

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