Plastic Surgery

What country is best for plastic surgery?

So you are thinking about cosmetic surgery… It’s a wonderful idea! You’ll look better and more attractive, you’ll have an easier time finding a desirable partner and, possibly, even get a better job! The question is, where will you get your plastic surgery?

To save money, you might consider performing your plastic surgery abroad. Plastic surgery abroad can be cheaper than it is in the US, even after you include travel and lodging expenses.

However, don’t neglect safety!

Safety is a concern in certain countries. Risks can be high – an infection of the surgical site; shoddy surgery; poor service. An infection can be a serious complication; it will not only ruin your weekend – it might leave scarring, have major health ramifications, and lead to large healthcare expenses. And shoddy surgery is an obvious risk – you’ll look worse after the surgery and will have to spend big money on corrective surgery.
So how do you select a safe country for plastic surgery? Many plastic surgeons abroad claim certification by the US Board of Plastic Surgery – are all these surgeons safe?
The answer is NO. Don’t forget – a surgical procedure is not performed by the surgeon alone! There are anesthesiologists, nurses, technicians, and other healthcare workers involved. And these are not US certified!

The quality of your outcome really depends on the quality of healthcare of the country in which you do your plastic surgery.

It is not determined by the quality of the surgeon alone. So, before choosing a surgeon abroad, make sure the country in which the surgeon operates has a good healthcare system, at least as good as the one we have here in the US. There is no doubt about it – the outcome of your surgery will be in line with the general quality of healthcare in that country. So how do you evaluate the healthcare quality of a country?

A good measure of healthcare quality is maternal mortality.

Maternal mortality is the number of women that die while giving birth (per 100,000 live births). Why is maternal mortality a good indicator of plastic surgery safety? The reason is simple: women who deliver babies are usually young and healthy; as a population, they are quite similar to the population seeking cosmetic surgery. And their main risks of death are related to shoddy healthcare. Therefore, their outcomes are a good indicator of your risks during plastic surgery.

The table below groups common destinations of medical tourism into two groups:

  • Those with maternal mortality equal to or better than that of the US (listed in green at the top), and
  • Those with maternal mortality worse than that of the US (listed in red at the bottom).
The countries in green are listed in order of increasing costs. Any country in green is probably as safe as the US, or even safer, for medical tourism. Country listed in red are more risky than the US for medical tourism.
The costs listed in the table include travel from the US and lodging for one; they are average numbers representing the costs in each country. The table can help you choose a safe destination for your cosmetic surgery! Let us hear from you!