Cosmetic Vacations

Cosmetic vacations is a relatively new terminology being used to describe the process of traveling to another country for the purpose of undergoing some sort of cosmetic surgical or aesthetic dental procedure as well as plastic surgery.

In the past, people have traveled for medical reasons to find a doctor in other countries or cities who specializes in a specific surgical or medical treatment. The reason being was to find the best doctor who could heal them, where cost was not the object.^[1]

Since the boom of the internet, a niche was created for agencies who offer cosmetic vacations due to the low cost of traveling to specific countries, the high cost of medical treatment in first world countries and favorable exchange rates. To attract many new patients, most of these agencies fight to offer the lowest price per surgery, which creates safety and health risks for patients.

Doctors as well as medical organizations always advise patients to think primarily of safety and quality before saving money. The word “vacations” in cosmetic vacations could be taken from the dictionary and defined as “freedom or release from duty, business, or activity”^[2]. This is exactly what is beneficial for a medical traveler seeking plastic surgery with a cosmetic vacation. Cosmetic vacations are often as much about the vacation (recuperation period) as the medical procedures.

Medical Tourism is a broad term given to the process of traveling to another country to undergo a medical procedure ^[3]. This term is known and has been very popular for a number of years, while cosmetic vacations is considered a specialty within the term medical tourism, as it is focused solely on the aesthetic side of plastic surgery.

The number of people having cosmetic procedures done abroad is increasing every year due to its popularity and people’s desire for change. When faced with the need to undergo surgeries, many people have traveled abroad for care in order to seek out doctors and facilities of high quality and standards.^[4]

There are basically two different types of medical travelers seeking out cosmetic vacations:

A) the medical traveler who is looking for the lowest price

B) the medical traveler who is looking for the best quality and safest conditions

Many hospitals and facilities in countries practicing medical tourism are certified as having high quality standards. Many of these facilities are accredited by the JCI- Joint Commission International, one of a non-governmental organizations that assesses health care organizations to determine if the hospitals or medical facilities meet the set of standards and requirements designed to improve the quality of care.^[5]

Availability of a high qualified plastic surgeon motivates patients to book cosmetic vacations.

There is usually a high demand for specific procedures that can cause long waiting periods, often longer than people would like to wait (countries like Australia and England have an extensive waiting list for specific procedures). With well planned cosmetic vacations, most surgeries can be conducted within days of landing and consultation.

Other reasons people tend to seek out cosmetic vacations are:

- To maintain some sort of personal privacy either from their friends or family

- A better recuperation after surgery (according to most doctors, the recuperation is as important as the surgery itself)

- Travel opportunity (visit a new country)

- The comfort of an assisted service that will aid and pamper you after your plastic surgery procedure

There are always risks involved when undergoing any type of surgery performed either at home or abroad. Some countries even demand a higher standard of safety if it involves a cosmetic and plastic surgery procedure. One of those countries is Brazil, considered to be the “World Capital of Plastic Surgery”, as it mandates that all plastic surgery procedures have to be performed in a certified hospital, which is unique in this aspect.

Brazil is also known for their high quality results with plastic surgery, which have attracted patients from all over the word to undergo their cosmetic vacation in Brazil. Those standards of work have also attracted plastic surgeons from around the world to come train in Brazil with the skilled Brazilian plastic surgeons.^[6]

South Africa is popular as a cosmetic dentistry destination for patients wishing to improve their cosmetic appearance whilst on vacation. The country boasts world-class hospitals and facilities at affordable prices. ^[7]

Other countries have attracted patients because of their low cost. Most people, however, are shying away from destinations that are under-priced or overly discounted.

There are many different agencies worldwide offering and promoting cosmetic vacations within their packages of medical tourism. Some offer many destination countries with a variety of surgeries, while others are specialized in only one country.

Many people today are searching the internet for medical treatment, doctors, destination countries or a combination of them. By doing this, they are able to compare and contrast which country offers which service in comparison to what they find in their own city or country.

References

1. ^ http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1861919,00.html.
2. ^ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/vacation. vacation.
3. ^ http://www.medicaltourismmag.com/issue-article/defining-medical-tourism-another-approach.html.medical tourism.
4. ^ The McKinsey Quarterly Healthcare http://www.lindsayresnick.com/Resource_Links/MedicalTravel.pdf.
5. ^ http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/Accreditation-and-Certification-Process/
6. ^ http://www.health-tourism.com/brazil-medical-tourism/
7. ^ http://www.dentalsafaris.com/dental-facilities