Cosmetic tourism (traveling overseas for cosmetic surgery) is becoming more popular due to shorter wait times, less stringent regulations, and lower costs; however, this trend raises significant concerns about quality of care, expired or counterfeit products, patient safety, and poor results and complications upon return.
All surgeries include risk. However, there are extra hazards to consider before deciding to have plastic surgery or any other medical operation performed overseas.
1. Air Travel Raises the Risk of Blood Clots
Cosmetic surgical procedures such as abdominoplasty (tummy tucks), body lifts, and big volume liposuction, which limit or restrict your movement after the operation, increase your risk of clotting.
Air travel increases your chance of getting deep venous thrombosis (blood clots in your legs) and pulmonary embolism (blood clots that migrate to your lungs).
Understanding DVT and PE
Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) occurs when blood clots develop in the deep veins of the legs. Symptoms may include swelling, discomfort, and redness. 90% of DVTs are asymptomatic and so cause no symptoms.
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disorder that occurs when a clot goes to the lungs and inhibits blood flow. 90% of patients with a clot in the lung (PE) appear with symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath, which require immediate care.
2. Antibiotic-Resistant Microorganisms Can Pose a Risk
Complications are common with any medical treatments, but surgery is more vulnerable to wound infections and sepsis. If you are in a tropical country, the bacteria and viruses that live there will differ from those found in American hospitals.
Because you may not have been exposed to these germs throughout your life, your body may not have had the opportunity to acquire natural immunity or antibodies, putting you at a disadvantage when compared to someone who has grown natural immunity from that nation. Certain foreign nations have a greater prevalence of blood-borne illnesses such hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.
What is antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance?
Antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance develops when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites stop responding to antimicrobial drugs. Antibiotic resistance is a serious issue caused by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.
Antibiotic-resistant bacterial illnesses are increasingly common worldwide, and standard medications will be ineffective against them. To treat foreign infections, large dosages of powerful antibiotics are frequently required. There is a tiny chance that the infection may not respond, needing further treatment and, in certain cases, admission to critical care.
3. Language Limitations and Communication Challenges
Language barriers may cause misunderstandings and miscommunications. In a cosmetic surgery context, this might cause complications. It is also critical that you have access to English-speaking professionals following the treatment in case you have any queries about your aftercare.
When planning a surgical treatment, it is critical that the patient and practitioner agree on the patient's wishes and requirements in order to avoid an unpleasant outcome.
4. Overseas Procedures Are More Difficult and Expensive to Repair If They Go Wrong
All cosmetic surgical procedures include risk. These include both anesthetic and surgical problems, such as wound infections, hemorrhage, sepsis, and even death from complications. Aftercare, follow-up, and prompt therapies can reduce the chance of problems. However, when you are overseas, factors beyond your control may prevent this from happening. Complications might emerge a few weeks after the patient has returned, making it more difficult to locate professional treatment.
It is costly to treat complications. If you need to be admitted to the hospital or critical care unit after surgery, you may incur additional charges. Prior to departure, patients should confirm that all travel insurance coverage includes emergency medical care and medical retrieval. If you are traveling for a medical treatment, make sure to thoroughly review the conditions of your travel insurance policy.
5. High Possibility of Surgery Ghosting and "Ghost Surgeons"
Surgery ghosting occurs when a surgery is conducted by a surgeon other than the one who consulted you before to the procedure, without your knowledge or agreement.
A practitioner may opt to do this for a variety of reasons, including overbooking one surgery or wanting to do the treatment with a less experienced (and less costly) surgeon. This betrayal and abuse of trust is not only unethical, but also unlawful, undermining the doctor-patient relationship of trust.
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