The medical tourism industry has seen exponential growth and plastic and cosmetic surgery have also benefitted from the trend. Patients looking for quality medical care and healthcare services are more than willing to cross borders for doing so. There are a variety of reasons why edical tourists decide to go abroad for treatment, which range from healthcare costs and affordability to the quality of care and availability of medical procedures in their home country.
As far as cosmetic medical procedures are concerned, many medical travelers prefer the aesthetic or style of the results that are delivered by healthcare providers in other countries. While the promise of new technologies and cost savings is appealing, you should still be cautious when you decide to travel to a foreign country to undergo a cosmetic medical procedure.
There are things you need to know and do before you undergo a cosmetic medical procedure abroad.
What are they? Let’s take a look:
Safety first
Whether you are seeking cosmetic medical treatment at home, or abroad, safety should always be your priority. This means that you need to research how cosmetic treatments and procedures are regulated in the country you are considering, the certification and education process for surgeons and doctors and understand how international hospitals and medical centers function. Doing so helps you ensure that all safety protocols will be in place.
Do your homework
If there is a cosmetic procedure that is not approved in your home country, then you need to consult with a certified dermatologist, or certified cosmetic surgeon before traveling in order to ask them about the potential safety risks associated with that technique or treatment. You can also get additional
insights when you ask for before and after photographs and also reach out to local patients who have undergone the said treatment.
Money issues
You need to be in possession of explicit documentation regarding the price of the cosmetic medical procedure that you want to get done. This includes all the pre-op tests and lab work involved, as well as the post-op recovery charges. While it is true that healthcare costs can be considerably low in some
other countries, you need to ensure that you are not making compromises in terms of quality just because you want to keep your costs low.
Insurance policies
Elective cosmetic procedures are rarely covered by insurance companies, but there are insurance policies available for when you are traveling to get a cosmetic medical procedure abroad. There are some health insurance plans that are specifically designed for medical tourism, but you need to ask exactly what they cover.
Communication
When you are choosing a healthcare provider for getting a cosmetic medical procedure done abroad, you should consider the language barrier, if any. Make sure that the entire medical team, including doctors, nurses and other staff, are fluent in your native language. This is because you need to understand everything you are being told during pre-op and post-op and they should also be able to understand what you say.
Post-op travel concerns
You should also ensure that there are no post-op travel concerns when you get a cosmetic medical procedure done abroad. Talk to the surgeons, or doctors beforehand to know if it will be safe to travel, or how long you will require for recovery and aftercare. In a number of procedures, recovery and aftercare is just as vital for a good outcome. For instance, you may need scar revisions in case of a procedure like tummy tuck. If you are getting implants, or any other devices, make sure they are regulated and there are no safety issues, particularly during travel.
It should be your aim to address all of these issues and concerns before you decide to undergo a cosmetic medical procedure abroad. This will ensure that you can get the quality services you require in your budget, all without any problems.