Countries in Europe, Asia and South America attract thousands
of visitors from around the world to get cosmetic work done. Why is that? One
reason is because people are drawn to the competitive prices of the plastic
surgery procedures these countries offer. Instead of paying full price for a
facelift (that would cost between $6,000-$12,000 in Canada), a facelift would
start from $1,900 in Brazil. That’s a big difference in cost and it’s just one
of the factors why we’re seeing so many people travel abroad for surgery. Below
are some countries that have seen an increase in foreign tourists mainly for
plastic surgery.
Brazil
Did you know that Brazil has the most cosmetic surgeons in
the world? While getting plastic surgery here in North America is oftentimes
met with stigma, that’s not the case in Brazil. Getting a procedure here and
there in Brazil is really no big deal.
The Brazillian government has even made cosmetic surgeries
deductible from income tax, according to an ABC
News article. Discounts are backdated for surgeries that go far back as
2004. Brazil has also flourished economically in the last ten years—salaries
and disposable incomes are higher. A lot of people choose to spend that money
to enhance their looks. As for medical
tourists, they’re treated well and aren’t met with any judgment. Cosmetic
surgery is culturally accepted and is even regarded as a symbol of status.
Colombia
Colombia started to build facilities strictly for medical
tourists after they saw their safety and tourism improve. Right now, about
20,000 tourists visit the country each year for plastic surgery procedures.
This number is expected to increase. To sweeten the deal for foreigners, there
are packages that include an apartment, chef, housekeeper and a combination of
three surgeries for $10,000.
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South Korea
South Koreans are the most cosmetically enhanced people in
the world. Like Brazil, getting plastic surgery is really common. The Gangnam District
in Seoul has 500 clinics closely located to each other—it’s like walking in a
plastic surgery wonderland. The country sees thousands of visitors from
countries like China or the U.S strictly for surgery. South Korea is well-known
for its highly skilled and innovative plastic surgeons and clinics.
Out of all foreign patients, Chinese patients accounted for
26.5% of them. They also spent the most money in the Korean medical industry in
2013 (1.02 trillion won). By the end of this year, it’s expected that 400,000 people
will visit South Korea just for medical procedures.
Safety and Risks
Safety is a real risk factor to think about when travelling
abroad for cosmetic surgery. “Sometimes unqualified surgeons, or people that
aren’t even doctors, try to do procedures without the expertise or the
credentials which increases the risk for patients,” says Dr. Lina Triana,
president of the Colombian Plastic Surgery Society, who was quoted in Colombia Reports. Just about anyone can create
a website to advertise skills and services they might not even be capable of.
Another possibility to consider is the possibility of
something going wrong after your surgery. If you return home and an infection
or medical concern arises, it’s not like you can easily drop by your doctor’s
office. They may be thousands of miles away. If you don’t speak the native
language, communicating with the medical staff could be difficult. Keep these points
in mind and remember that it’s never a bad idea to research extensively before
agreeing to go under the knife, even if it’s at a cheaper price.
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