Have you ever looked into the idea of getting a breast augmentation (that’s medical speak for a boob job)? The prices can be a bit daunting, to say the least. An average of four thousand pounds can get you the breast size you’ve been dreaming of, but it’s a serious investment to make. That makes two decisions; the first is about having the procedure, and the second is about whether you can make your money stretch that far. So, if you’ve perhaps considered going abroad for surgery with the thought that it might be less expensive, but just as good, there are some considerations to make.
How much Cheaper can it be?
That just depends where you’re prepared to travel to. Many countries in Europe belong to the European Union (EU) and should have higher standards than non-EU countries; they are certainly covered by laws which will go some way towards protecting you when it comes to medical care. The countries further afield may be able to offer the surgery for much less.
What about the Costs of Travel and Accommodation?
This price needs to be factored in, and sensibly should be for two people as undergoing recovery whilst on your own in a foreign hotel is not a good idea. The destination country of your operation may involve long-haul and expensive flights, and there will definitely be a hotel stay both before the procedure (when you should have a consultation with your surgeon), and after the procedure when you may feel too ill to fly, or be advised not to fly for medical reasons. The clinic will only allow you to stay under their medical care for as long as is necessary, which would probably not be longer than two or three days for breast augmentation. Your stay in that country could possibly be as long as three or four weeks, and if you have complications, it could be even longer.
How can you be sure that the Surgeon is good?
The United Kingdom has a professional body called the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and also a regulatory body called the National Care Standards Commission, which controls any practising private Cosmetic Surgeon. Some countries in the world may have no real professional body, let alone regulatory body to protect the consumer who is wishing to have cosmetic surgery. In short, you could end up with someone who isn’t qualified to do the work, and no route to follow if your procedure goes wrong. In the EU, countries do tend to have at least a professional body that will allow you to check surgeon’s credentials, so there is less chance of this happening. On the other hand, you won’t be able to meet the surgeon before you travel out there for the operation. Yes, you can always back out of anything you’ve arranged, but if you’ve paid out for flights and accommodation, and possibly paid some money up-front, you’ve lost out.
What happens if I have Complications after the Surgery?
If you’ve chosen a clinic which is in the UK, you can go back. Some clinics are nationwide, so even if you had the surgery in a different UK location, the chances are that they will direct you to the most local clinic to get the problem checked out. If a corrective procedure or immediate attention is needed, you will get the care you deserve. There are also NHS services on-hand at all times.
If you suffer complications whilst abroad, you will obviously be able to return to the clinic and the surgeon you originally saw, but your stay in the country may be extended with further costs to yourself, and some of your recovery may be done from a hotel room. If you are too ill to travel back to the UK, you may find that you are refused onto an aircraft and your travel insurance may not cover you for that eventuality either. Once you’ve returned to the UK, you will have to rely on the NHS, who may offer you emergency treatment, but will not carry out corrective cosmetic surgery. You will need to find the costs to rectify your problem with a private surgeon.
How do you go about finding a Clinic abroad?
Most people start with the internet, but this will take a lot of careful research. Here is a checklist of what to consider before committing to travelling for surgery in a foreign country:
- What is that country’s professional cosmetic surgeon regulatory body, and does the surgeon you plan to see belong to it? Does he or she have any other professional qualifications you can confirm?
- Are there any testimonials to this surgeon’s work, particularly from other people who are in the UK? Do these testimonials read as being genuine?
- Can the clinic give you full and precise information about the augmentation procedure that you wish to have, and can you be given realistic expectations about what can be achieved? Remember, a good cosmetic surgeon will not be unrealistic about what can be achieved, for example, he or she will not try to make a 32B size chest into a 32FF under one procedure if the skin and tissues cannot tolerate that large an increase in volume.
- How much will the flights and stay there cost, on top of the procedure? How long might you need to stay, and in case of eventuality of complications, are the flight tickets transferrable?
- What are the back-up plans if something should go wrong, either there, or back home later?
Also, remember that you do not need to go through with the procedure if you reach the clinic and feel that this surgeon is not the right one for you.
Is the UK best?
It certainly seems that way. Prices for procedures in the UK are roughly in-line with many other countries offering our same strict level of professional standing and patient care. Prices may be more expensive than some countries, but you may be running a great risk in choosing to have your procedure carried out by a foreign clinic.