Much is made about going overseas to take advantage of breast implant deals and other plastic surgeries that cost less. It’s appealing because of the lower cost, surgeons are usually trained in the United States, and the results are the same as if the patient had the work done at home. But all is not as it seems with medical tourism, and that deal can turn into a costly nightmare when things go wrong. Here are some issues that can arise from going overseas for plastic surgery.
Lack of Surgical Experience
A surgeon can go through an American university to become a plastic surgeon, but that’s not a guarantee of experience, much less quality care. Different countries have different medical standards and it may be easier for an inexperienced surgeon to practice on their own in a foreign country. And there may be no way to verify the quality of work performed by the surgeon before going undergoing the operation. The results may not be as good as they would had the patient sought surgery in the U.S.
Low Cost Doesn’t Always Mean High Quality
Ethical surgeons in the United States have a duty of care towards their patients even if the surgery is elective. What this means is the surgeon shows the patient what’s going into their body, doesn’t bait and switch, and uses the best quality implants even if they are running breast implant deals. A patient who goes overseas runs the risk of receiving implants that aren’t what they were shown and could cause problems sooner than later.
There’s also the issue of the cleanliness of the operating theater, quality of tools, and even the vintage of the equipment being used. A lot of older medical equipment is still in use and if they’re not properly maintained, they can have a negative effect on the outcome for the patient.
The Increased Risk of Infections
Undergoing elective surgery holds the same risks as non-elective surgery. Infection is one of those risks and is usually negligible when performed in the United States. That’s not to say that infections can’t happen stateside, but they’re less likely because of post-surgical protocols and standards that are observed. There are a number of ways an infection can take hold after surgery, especially if there’s little post-surgical monitoring. Many medical tourists return to the U.S. only to fall ill from an infection as a result of surgery.
It’s safer to undergo plastic surgery in the United States and benefit from quality training, experience, and care than it is to risk infection and worse from an overseas facility. There’s no denying the appeal of saving money, but it may be costlier in the long run when complications happen.
