Overseas Plastic Surgey

Overseas Plastic Surgey
I recently was asked to see a patient in a hospital
emergency room to take out sutures from a facelift that she
had done in Mexico. While she suffered no terrible
complications, the cosmetic outcome was certainly not what
I would have considered acceptable here in Indianapolis.
The incisions were poorly placed around her ears and her
hairline had been pulled up high into her temple area.
Seeing her brings to light a somewhat disturbing trend that
is evident nationally, particularly in the southern border
states, but is also prevalent on the internet as well.The
number of patients going overseas for plastic surgery and
the solicitation to do so on the internet, promoting low
prices and a 'vacation-like' experience.

Historically, going overseas for surgery is not new but has
been done in the past to seek out operations or treatments
that were not available in the U.S. This new overseas trend
is solely based on discounted price. Having traveled the
world extensively and both met and operated with many
international plastic and maxillofacial surgeons, I know
there are many fine plastic surgeons around the world doing
great work. However, in the interest of saving money, I am
amazed how many people would naively disregard some of the
basic tenets of choosing a plastic surgeon and surgery
center. Important criteria such as board-certification,
professional reputation, and the quality and track record
of the facility where surgery will be performed can not
possibly be assessed without a prior visit or consultation.

But these issues aside, overseas surgery brings up several
extremely relevant issues that most patients have not even
thought of:

1) What happens in the event of a surgical complication?
Who is going to take care of it? Fortunately, in elective
plastic surgery, this is usually a postoperative problem so
you would be home by then. Who would you go to locally? And
any plastic surgeon seeing you here is not going to take of
for free a complication from someone else's surgery.
2) In the event of a complication during or right after
surgery overseas, will your health insurance provide
coverage in a foreign country? Does your health insurance
policy extend beyond the U.S. borders?
3) Will you really be saving a large amount of money by
going overseas? When you factor in the cost of air travel
and local accommodations before and after your surgery, you
may not find it such a bargain. Know all costs before
proceeding. The 'sticker price' may not reflect all costs
involved.

While saving money on plastic surgery overseas can be
enticing, cosmetic surgery performed by an unqualified
surgeon or in a setting that is not safe can risk your
health and result in unappealing outcomes. Doing your
research is never more important than when you leave the
more highly regulated state of medical affairs in the U.S.

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Dr Barry Eppley runs a private plastic surgery practice
through his hospital-based medspa locations at Clarian
Health in Indianapolis. To learn more about the latest
trends in plastic surgery, spa therapies, or skin care, go
to his daily blog, http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com .