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Getting Cosmetic Work Done Overseas: Is it Really Worth It?

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr. from Pexels

Every year thousands of Australians go to places like Thailand and South Korea for cosmetic procedures. In many cases, the work can be comparable to what they would get back home but for a fraction of the costs. However, there are some real risks involved with getting a procedure overseas. So, is getting a plastic procedure done in another country worth it?

How Big of a Procedure is it?
If you were looking for a non-surgical procedure or one that could be done non-surgically, you should consider options at home first. Clinics like Lisa Rush can perform non-surgical facelift procedures that are much safer than surgical ones, especially considering that the rules and regulations in Australia are usually far stricter than in another country with cheaper costs.

Have You Thought About Recovery?
You should also consider that you may have to stay there for a while after a procedure or have to come back for some follow up work. So, you’ll have to add this to the whole equation. You might not like the destination you’re in, so you likely will not want to stay for the time it takes to recover.

It may end up costing so much in accommodation expenses that you’re saving very little money after all. Make sure that you really aractually getting a bargain and factor in the fact that that you might have to fly back to the same doctor if there are complications – some Australian doctors will refuse to work on a patient that was operated on by an overseas doctor, so you might have more trouble finding people back home. And, there is some information that the doctor who worked on you might have that is crucial and only they might have.

You May Not Have Recourse
Even if you have insurance, know that you may not always have recourse if you get work done overseas. For one, you might not be able to fully verify the doctor’s credentials or identity and could end up working with someone who doesn’t have the proper certification. 

A lot of overseas practitioners take advantage of the lack of regulations to swindle clients and get them to agree to procedures they aren’t qualified to perform. This can then lead to severe complications. Some clients have even died as a result, but the families couldn’t get compensation because the practitioner was not certified. 

So, make sure that you take this into consideration and take every step necessary to make sure that the doctor is actually compliant and is not currently under investigation. Most countries in East and South East Asia will have boards that you will be able to verify them through, but you still won’t be totally safe from con artists.

Getting cosmetic work done overseas has its fair share of risks. So, unless you know exactly who you’re dealing with and that the country has strict regulations surrounding the industry, it probably isn’t worth it, and you would be better offstaying home and looking at your options here.