I’m sure the vast majority of us are aware of the term ‘Medical Tourism’, it basically means travelling overseas to avoid hospital waiting lists and perhaps most commonly to save money. Depending on the type of medical treatment you are looking for, travelling abroad for treatment makes sound economical sense. For example, various sources have said that the price of extensive dental treatment in Thailand or Vietnam is still much cheaper than Europe even with the flight and two-week holiday factored in. There are also some world leading cancer and heart specialists across the world who people visit for the best medical treatment money can buy, although these people could not be described as ‘medical tourists’ in the general sense.
Here in Australia, we are also free to travel overseas for medical treatment if we wish, but there are certain procedures available overseas that are perhaps not worth taking a risk for. Many cities throughout Asia offer plastic surgery at impossibly low prices, but is it worth the risk? Plastic surgery is an extremely specialised area of medicine and should only be carried out by highly trained specialists in countries where medical treatment is highly regulated. Would you risk your long-term health or wellbeing to save a few bucks? I wouldn’t.
Full Qualified and Accredited Surgeons
Although there are many high-quality plastic surgeons across the world, they normally work out of international standard hospitals and clinics where the pricing structure is probably near or even exceeds the costs of plastic surgery procedures in Australia, so why would you bother? When you choose to undergo plastic surgery in Australia you can guarantee that the surgeon is fully qualified to international standards and possesses the expertise and necessary credentials to carry out the requested procedure. For example, a highly experienced certified plastic surgeon in Brisbane, has to undergo years of training at great expense and gain years of additional experience before he is allowed to carry out any cosmetic procedures.
Any plastic surgeon in Australia will be accredited/qualified/have membership with one or more of the following:
- Royal Australian College of Surgeons
- Member of Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
- A Leading University Qualification
The majority of Australian plastic surgeons will also work in public hospitals in addition to their own practices.
Getting Pre-Procedure Advice
Although you will probably need to undergo a health check with your GP prior to any procedure taking place, you will still need to get specific advice from your plastic surgeon. He will of course give you the full details of what the procedure entails and information about aftercare, but if you do have any additional questions you shouldn’t hesitate to ask. A highly regarded plastic surgeon will be happy to answer any question you may have to put your mind at rest prior to surgery. The clinic staff will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have on non-surgical matters.
