While most people go shopping in Bangkok for discounted designer clothes, Judith Jones* came home with fuller breasts and a smaller waist. As one of thousands of Australians who have visited Asia for medical procedures, she represents a new type of traveller — the medical tourist.
"I first approached the idea with trepidation," says Judith, a 55-year-old business consultant in Sydney. "I didn't know much about Thailand's medical system and had my concerns about safety. Like a typical Australian, I was very wary that it might be like a third world country, but my partner, who has lived in Asia, encouraged me to broaden my horizons. So I did a lot of research on the hospital and the surgeon's credentials and I e-mailed him to ask questions. I decided to go ahead tentatively, knowing that you don't have to pay the hospital until you get there and you have a consultation with the doctor before the surgery, so I could still check it out and change my mind."
Satisfied and reassured, Judith signed up for a breast augmentation and liposuction on her abdomen and waistline. "The hospital system amazed me — it was more like a luxury hotel and I have nothing but praise for the staff. They check you out very thoroughly and it's so swift from one test to the next. The operation went fine and I was well looked after. I stayed two nights in the hospital — all the rooms are private — and eight days in a hotel while I recovered, because you can't fly for about a week after surgery. Then I had to go back to the doctor for him to check me out on the day before I flew home."
The risk factor
Dr Norman Olbourne, past president of the
Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, however, has concerns about people going on overseas trips for surgery. "There is an attraction for people to do that sort of thing because it's said to be less expensive and you can also have a holiday for much the same price. What isn't understood is that plastic surgery is serious surgery — it's like brain surgery or heart surgery and things can go wrong. If things go to plan, then no matter where you have it done, it's been the right decision. But if things go wrong, you want to be in an environment with the highest standards and where your doctor is available. You may not be covered by your travel insurance overseas, so suddenly it becomes a disastrous and expensive experience," he says. "I'm not saying it always happens or if it happens in Thailand specifically, but things do go wrong sometimes. The same applies for travelling within
Australia, from
Perth to
Sydney, for example. Distance is always a danger and it's better to stay near home."
Dr Olbourne says the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons knows of instances where people have gone overseas and come back with complications, "and then they turn up on the doorstep of a plastic surgeon here, seeking to have the problem corrected; but it's hard for a surgeon to competently handle another surgeon's work because they don't know what they did. This then puts the burden on the health system here, on Medicare and our doctors".
Dr Olbourne offers these words of warning to people thinking of going overseas for surgery. "I say they should think again. You need to be sure of the standards of the doctors and be able to check their credentials. People should bear in mind that the only way to have safe surgery is to factor into the decision all the things that could go wrong and how to minimise that."
Age is also a consideration regarding the suitability of plastic surgery. "The major thing to worry about for the over-55s is their general health. If they are healthy, it's no more complicated than with a young person, but if they have other conditions or they're on medications or taking aspirin, this has to be factored in."
As Judith says, "It's a big decision to have surgery done and I may just be a lucky one, so you've got to make sure it's right for you and do your own research. No amount of research can assure you you're going to get the results you want, but be open-minded and consider it."
Advice when considering overseas surgery
- Don't be wooed by seductive marketing.
- Research the hospital, your assigned surgeon and the post-operative care.
- Ask the surgeon for references and photographs of past patients.
- Find out what happens in case of complications or an unsatisfactory result.
- Investigate your insurance coverage.
- Talk to your local doctor about your decision.
- Examine the contract and disclaimers before you sign.
Contacts
Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
Tel: 1300 367 446;
Website: www.plasticsurgery.org.au
E-mail: info@plasticsurgery.org.au
Provided by GetUp & Go magazine
Website: www.getupandgo.net.au
*Name changed on request.
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