Traveling for plastic surgery is becoming a trend. Layla Shadman, PA-C, explains the risks of medical tourism.

There has been an increasing trend in medical tourism where patients travel both internationally and domestically to have their surgeries. This is particularly popular in the field of plastic surgery. Offices are making it quite enticing for patients to travel to see them by offering surgery ‘package deals’ that include the procedure, hotel and post procedure nursing care. While some people travel to find the ‘best’ plastic surgeon, often people are travelling to find something a bit cheaper.

Before you consider travelling to find your plastic surgeon, please understand that there are risks involved. There is considerable after care that needs to be closely monitored in the first few days and weeks after surgery. We regularly have our patients return for a one day, one week and one month post op appointment. Even within the first month, some patients may need to return for more frequent visits. If your surgeon is far from home, returning for a follow up in the first month can be both expensive and dangerous. You may need to return for suture removals, possible drain removals and will need to return if there are postoperative complications. Additionally, distant travel may require flying and post-surgical extended immobility is a risk for blood clots. So if you were hoping to save money by going out of the area, you may end up actually spending more. 

Keeping your surgery local has advantages and ultimately may end up saving you both time and money. You can more easily follow up with your surgeon in the initial, most critical stages of healing. It is also nice to have a surgeon that is in your time zone for both travel and any urgent questions that may arise. I can assure you that accessibility to your surgeon will minimize stress during the healing period. Sometimes patients need additional visits for steroid injections or wound care. For example, if a seroma or hematoma (fluid or blood collection) develops, you may need to return to the office for serial visits. These are things that cannot be dealt with from a distance. 

I urge you to consider all the risks and benefits of medical tourism prior to booking any surgery. Some questions that may be helpful when selecting your surgeon are listed below:

• Is the surgeon board certified?
• In case of a medical emergency, who do I contact?
• After my surgery, is the surgeon readily available by phone or will I be talking to a call center?
• What are my preoperative instructions?
• What sort of wound care will be involved in the procedure and am I given supplies?
• How many follow-up visits are involved after the surgery, and what will be the cost for travel?
• How long should I stay in the area after my surgery?
• When is it safe to fly?
• Will I have to take blood thinners after surgery?

Sometimes there is just a feeling you get when you visit an office, trust your instincts. If it does not feel safe, professional or transparent, consider a second opinion. If you have any questions about our surgical process and procedure, please know that you are in the best hands with Dr. Patel. Give our office a call at (262) 701-7040 to discuss any of our surgical options.

Layla Shadman, PA-C