It’s no secret that cosmetic surgery is expensive, so the lure of nearby countries offering significantly lower costs for surgery has meant thousands of Australians have been enticed to travel overseas for their procedures. It isn’t just a few hundred, or even thousand, either – in 2017 it was estimated that approximately five hundred thousand Australians intended to travel overseas for some kind of surgery. Although there are certainly savings to be had, travelling to another country for cosmetic surgery isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be, particularly when it comes to breast implants – in this article we take a look at a few points you’ll need to make that you might not yet have considered.
Why you might want to reconsider overseas surgery
Breast augmentation overseas might sound like a fabulous idea for a lot of reasons – you get to save big on the procedure while also experiencing a new country – it’s like a holiday that pays for itself! Unfortunately, these procedures are far from being as clear cut as they might sound on paper. Cosmetic tourism has been gaining steam to the point where even Australian insurers are offering policies that cover overseas surgery, but even these premiums aren’t what they seem a lot of the time. Although they might include run of the mill travel insurance benefits such as cancellation, luggage and personal effects, they don’t cover the most expensive part of cosmetic surgery: mismanagement. Australian insurance won’t cover complications that arise from overseas surgery, and this is where all of the issues really come into play. One of the most problematic aspects of getting surgery done overseas is the potential for infection. If you choose to undergo a breast implant procedure, know that infection is a very real possibility, and depending where you choose to get your procedure done, it can be sometimes even be a common complication.
More complications to consider
It’s not just infection that you have to be worried about if you choose to get breast implants overseas. There are quite a few other risks you’ll need to consider, such as the risk of deep vein thrombosis that can develop as a result of air travel on the way back into the country and an inability to receive adequate care in the aftermath of surgery. in addition to these physical problems, a lot of the problems with overseas travel relate to issues with the available surgeons – something that many Australians take for granted. For starters, not being able to consult with and direct questions to your surgeon prior to your treatment can create some very inconsistent expectations, as can the inability to select the surgeon you want and all of the potential issues that language barriers can pose. These aspects of cosmetic surgery overseas, combined with the inability to arrange follow-up consultations in the aftermath of an unsatisfactory procedure can frustrate to no end, and will likely result in some very unsatisfied patients.
Local cosmetic surgery is pricier for a reason
Although you might think getting surgery overseas is a great way to save money, the money you save comes at the cost of a reduced service. If you value important things like post-operative care and the opportunity to develop a rapport with your surgeon, you might instead want to have your surgery at home and save the holiday for another time.