Summer is here and for the Plastic Surgery industry, this is undoubtedly their peak season. Although this period keeps Australian surgeons busy, an alarming trend of overseas ‘Surgery Holidays’ is emerging, patients opting to fly as far as Egypt in pursuit of discounted procedures.
“It’s amazing how many people are sucked in by these holiday-surgery deals where patients receive their Breast Augmentations and Rhinoplastys at a fraction of the cost but disturbingly, at the expense of proper medical care” commented Renee Billson, 32.
Managing a plastic surgery facility for five years, Billson has seen her fair share of complications from overseas invasive procedures, due mainly to poorly trained staff operating without adequate resources. Billson schedules an horrifying number of these patients, daily, for corrective surgery called “Revisions”. Unfortunately, its not only major surgeries that go wrong.
Ellie Cobb, 26, received wrinkle fillers and lip enhancement injections in Thailand in 2008, the results, she says are still visible, but not in the way she'd hoped. “It was a basic procedure and virtually cost nothing, so I went ahead without hesitation”.
Cobb received an severe infection as a result her treatment and was in total agony. Ironically, this cut her holiday short. The lumpiness and scarring on her lips remain two years on.
Corrective surgery leads in to the tens of thousands and the overseas surgeon is never accountable “They are no longer responsible for you once you board the plane home. It's a nightmare to contact your surgeon from the other side of the world; they rely on this to continue making money” Cobb believes.
This epidemic gives Australian surgeons plenty of business, some specialising exclusively in revision procedures. One Gold Coast surgeon currently advertises a ‘Thailand Trauma’ discount.
“Surgery is something you shouldn't scrimp on, you will truly get what you pay for. It’s no holiday being sick” Billson warned.
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