Cosmetic surgery seems to be all the rage and shows no signs of slowing down.
According to the Sun, Sea, Sand and Silicon project carried out at The University of Leeds, around 15,000 Australians are traveling overseas each year to undergo cosmetic surgery.
Known as cosmetic holidays, they have become increasingly popular due to the lower cost of procedures abroad. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love a bit of sun? Getting your procedure done cheaper just sounds like an added bonus.
But the question we need to be asking, is saving money on your surgery worth the risk?
Sure, everyone loves a bargain and many people shop around before making a purchase especially something that is pricey. Buying a tv that’s’ a couple hundred dollars cheaper is great but is it really the same thing when it comes to surgery and your appearance?
Are you really getting what you think?
We’ve all seen or heard holiday nightmare stories where people have booked a hotel online only to be extremely disappointed upon arrival.
Pictures online can be deceiving, reviews can be falsified and it’s no different when it comes to cosmetic surgery.
Not only can online reviews and pictures be deceiving but going somewhere abroad means you probably don’t know anybody that has experience with the surgery.
When choosing a local practice, you more than likely know somebody who has had a procedure done there in the past.
Are all medical expenses covered?
You may have bagged a bargain on your tummy tuck or breast augmentation but is the price you’re paying all inclusive?
Many surgeries may not cover for after care or any medical errors which could leave you with a hefty bill.
Depending on what type of holiday insurance you have, they may not cover this either.
Language barriers
If you’re opting to go overseas for your cosmetic surgery, then English will not be their first language.
If they are not fluent then this could cause confusion in what your asking for meaning the outcome you get is not what you were expecting.
After surgery
Certain procedures take a long time to heal so the healing process will continue long after you return home.
If there were to be any issues further down the line like issues with stitches you wouldn’t be able to just nip into the surgery to get them checkout out.
With no follow up plan back in Australia, you may end up paying much more than the initial procedure to have and mistakes rectified.
Where would you stand should it go wrong?
Should you end up with a botched surgery, things can be a little trickier than it would should you have had your surgery in Australia.
The medical negligence experts at Australian Accident Helpline say that, “in order to claim successfully, we need to first be able to prove that negligence has occurred. When the surgery has been completed overseas this can make things a lot more difficult when it comes to claiming financial recompense”.
In Conclusion
All in all, it seems that the cons in cosmetic surgery holidays far outweigh the financial benefits associated with it.
You may be saving yourself some money short-term, but there is the possibility of a much higher long term financial risk.
After all, is lipo really worth your livelihood? Or even worse, your life?
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