by Having made the decision to ‘undergo the knife’, you are probably very aware of many of these potential risks – or you should be. That said, now you have the task of thinking realistically about those potential risks in relation to whether to have that procedure carried out in the UK of abroad. Hence, you might want to consider the following…
Language Barriers
Language barriers when travelling to another country can result in being served food you did not ask for, being charged incorrectly for items or services, being misdirected. All these happenings are annoying, occasionally humorous but ultimately, not life changing. In contrast, the reality of misunderstanding somebody tasked to perform surgery on you can be anything but humourous; at the most extreme, it can be fatal.
Medical Complications and Risks
Surgery of any kind has risks, any reputable cosmetic surgeon will attest to that fact. I remember reading this story featured recently in the news section of the BBC website about a British woman who travelled abroad for breast augmentation, and later died after experiencing complications and returning to the country to try and correct those complications.
It is an extreme case, granted, but it happened. Hence, it has always baffled me, personally, as to why people would go abroad to have cosmetic surgeries performed when things can go so wrong. Imagine battling complications so far from home or even battling complications at home and so far from the hospital and doctors whom preformed the procedure. Personally, either prospect terrifies me. Hence, the second question I asked my friend, upon her return (no prizes for guessing the nature of my first question), was; why go abroad for cosmetic surgery?
Cost
Breast augmentation provided by fully accredited, professional and reputable companies in the UK, usually costs between £3,500 and £5000, according to the NHS Breast Implants – Considerations webpage. In many cases, breast implant surgeries offered as part of holiday packages can cost as little as £2010. Hence, a person could potentially save as much as £2990.
Professionalism, Expertise and Comfort
£2990 is undeniably a large sum of money. If I ask myself, would I like to save almost three thousand pounds? the answer is unequivocally, yes. But, if I ask myself, would I spend almost three thousand pounds more on a surgical procedure to receive it in my home country, within a private hospital whose name I recognise, preformed by a fluently English speaking surgeon and medical team who meet the professional standards required in the UK in order to perform such surgeries and, what’s more, also receive aftercare such as that offered by Marcus Landauer –http://www.landauercosmeticsurgery.co.uk, the answer is also yes.
Ultimately, when considering and comparing standards of practise inside and outside of the UK, issues which need considering include, but are by no means limited to the following:
1. The risk of being conned
2. The potential legal difficulties of bringing a doctor or company to justice inside the UK compared with those outside of the UK should complications arise as a result of medical negligence
3.The availability or after support (or potential lack of it should you venture abroad to access cosmetic surgery)
4.The difficulties and realities of assessing the validity of ‘credentials’ held by ‘foreign’ cosmetic practices
5. Finally, could you face or would you want to face undergoing surgery or invasive medical procedures hundreds or perhaps even thousands of miles from home, and hence your family and the care of the NHS?
In posing these considerations or asking these questions, I am by no means suggesting the UK is the only country with surgeries capable of performing a professional cosmetic surgeries and procedures. I am simply asking the questions that I asked myself, and which ultimately lead me to realise that I am a person who is more likely to take precautions when it comes to her health and wellbeing than I am to take risks.
Source: healthgk.com
