COSMETIC SURGERY ABROAD "WORLD CLASS TREATMENT AT SAVING OF UP TO 90%" by Lois W. Stern You may have read similar headlines. If you are thinking about Cosmetic Surgery, it’s a tempting thought. Why not go abroad for your surgery, get world class care at a fraction of the cost, while enjoying a vacation in an exotic land? It does sound enticing! There is no doubt that you can save quite a bit of money, so cost is something to consider. Qualified surgeons are another factor, and you can find them too - qualified surgeons affiliated with safe, even excellent, medical facilities. So why the hesitation? Let's assume that you have found a highly qualified physician and have researched his medical facilities and equipment standards. So far, everything checks out fine. But before you sign on the dotted line, here are a couple of other things to consider: You will need post-operative care. Sometimes this is short term, but at other times a complication might arise. How long will you be willing to stay in this foreign country waiting for complete recovery? Patients should consider that even routine post-op care (such as changing dressings and monitoring healing) can be necessary for several weeks - long after your “vacation” is over. Although infrequent, complications do arise after some surgeries. Patients should determine in advance if their insurance will cover complications resulting from cosmetic procedures performed overseas. What if, after you have returned home and several months have passed, you begin to notice that your eyes have healed just a bit unevenly or your tummy could do with a little less fat. In that first consultation, your surgeon assured you that any needed revision work would be covered under his initial fee. But are you willing to take another flight to return abroad for just a touch up? Or would you decide to "make do" rather than repeat your surgical vacation safari experience? Although traveling to a foreign country for vacation surgery sounds exotic and fun, on second thought vacations might not be quite so compatible with surgery. You need to heal. You need to rest. Trust me, you won't want to be going off sight seeing in the weeks following surgery, nor would it be in your best interest to do so. Will you be happy being semi sequestered in a hotel room far from home, distant from family and friends? Maybe you will be fine with that kind of isolation - content to rest, read a good book or two, and be pampered by strangers. But most surgeons encourage their patients to get out and be amongst friends and family as soon as possible. They know isolation dampens the spirits while being surrounded by loved ones helps lift one out of the doldrums. One last concern has to do with travel in the weeks following surgery. Although enticing, most vacation activities should be avoided after surgery, and a long return flight increases the risk of a deep vein thrombosis or blood clot, a potentially life threatening condition. SO THINK IT THROUGH CAREFULLY Head and Neck Surgeon, Dr. Robert Kotler, shares 7 smart questions to ask before having Cosmetic Surgery in a foreign country. Is the doctor board-certified by one of the official American boards, e.g American Board of Plastic Surgery, The American Board of Otolarynogology/ Head and Neck Surgery, The American Board of Ophthalmology or the American Board of Dermatology? Is the surgery facility a hospital? An outpatient surgery center? Or inside a doctor's office? What safety accreditations does it hold? Is it licensed by the government or any other recognized entity, such as we have in the U.S., e.g. the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care or the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations? Who performs the physical exam and appropriate laboratory tests to assure my health is satisfactory for the operation(s) and anesthetic? How far in advance of surgery will this be done? When I first visit the foreign clinic, what if I don't feel comfortable with the surgeon, the facilities or staff? Can I get my money back and fly home without major financial penalty? If I do opt for the surgery, will there be a doctor-anesthesiologist in attendance at all times? Is that doctor certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology? Typically, how long would I have to stay in the foreign country before it is wise to return home? How often will the doctor see me? Will all stitches be taken out before I leave? What if a complication or problem develops after my return home? Who manages the problem? Who pays? Know the potential risks and side effects for the particular procedure(s) you are considering. Then ask yourself the following additional questions: How long am I willing (or able) to stay abroad? If I need (or want) revision surgery later on, will I be able and willing to return to this surgeon for further work? Are vacation and travel activities compatible with my health and the type surgery I will undergo? Lois This article is excerpted from a larger article written by Lois W. Stern, author of Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery, for the Long Island Beauty Guide - 2007 annual edition. You have my permission to reprint this article in part or full providing it contains the following attribution: Lois W. Stern is the author of the award winning book, Sex, Lies and Cosmetic Surgery, (Infinity, 2006), soon to be republished in a revised edition with a CD enclosure. Lois invites prospective cosmetic surgery patients, physicians, and media to visit her website to read other articles and/or sign up for her monthly newsletter at: sexliesandcosmeticsurgery.com