In the past few decades medical tourism has truly dominated the business industry. The trend spread all over the globe even in the third world countries where sophisticated health care may seem impossible. However, these countries cater medical procedures that can compete within the level of the US health care system. Critics see this as unimaginable, at first patients will be anxious to the result of having plastic surgery done in countries away from home. Aside from being strangers, patients may lack the confidence of pursuing such risky procedures that can result to life changing experiences. Plastic surgery is cannot be taken too lightly, though most of the patients undergo offshore plastic surgery to acquire their desired figure at lesser cost, a wrong slice of the knife could mean their future or can even cause threat to their lives. Many plastic surgery nightmares were reported, the news was all over the internet for quite some time. Roughly three years ago, the San Antonio Express News published a collection of stories that hold harsh and offensive elements subjected particularly to Mexico. The information was quickly picked up by the Associated Press and MSNBC, which resulted to an ill portrait of some of the dangers and possible appalling consequences of plastic surgery in Mexico. The tragedy had greatly dishonored the surgeons of the country. Tolbert Wilkinson, M.D., a well known San Antonio cosmetic surgeon, mentioned on an online conference with Jeff Schult, author of Beauty from Afar, that some of the best surgeons in the world are in Guadalajara and Mexico City but the repute that those good surgeons have molded vanished because of pretentious and false surgeons.

Drawing a line between a good and a bad surgeon should be the first step for patients planning to do plastic surgery in other countries. All the responsibility comes down to the patient himself, careful planning and expert advices are the keys involved before making the final decision. When choosing a medical tourism agency, don’t get fooled by catchy packages and fancy websites. Be smart, explore, read and watch what other people are saying about a particular hospital, clinic or surgeon. Investigate the facilities (agencies that provides photos and videos adds points on your watch list), also consider the provider’s accreditation,awards and recognitions, equipments, success rates and other significant statistics.

Best Medical Vacation Destinations

Argentina - For plastic surgery, Argentina is one of the top choices. Affordable plastic surgery in Argentina recently increased in demands these past few years. Tourist numbers have increased year on year by around 10% since 2003, with Argentina proving particularly popular with British visitors. The number of UK tourists is up by more than a quarter (27%) on last year, with an increasing number of Britons coming for affordable plastic surgery in Argentina. The clinics of Buenos Aires’s surgeons began filling up with foreigners soon after the economy imploded and the currency devalued in 2002. As a result, plastic surgery in Argentina costs around a third of UK prices.

Mexico - Among the border line countries, affordable plastic surgery in Mexico is undoubtedly a solid choice for patients who are looking for inexpensive but high quality make over. According to the U.S. Department of State, more than 15 million U.S. citizens head south of the border every year to acquire quality affordable plastic surgery in Mexico. Mexican surgeons have their own English web sites where they publish their credentials, years of training and accreditation. Another major advantage of plastic surgery in Mexico is proximity. With just a few hours of travel, U.S. patients can acquire quality service of Mexican surgeons.

Costa Rica – With medical communities that have been in the medical tourism business since 1970’s, any patient that seek for affordable plastic surgery in Costa Rica gives out positive testimonies about the country’s expertise in medicine. Prospective patients that are longing to get affordable plastic surgery in Costa Rica are convinced by word of mouth from former patients that took their medical procedures in the country. Affordable plastic surgery in Costa Rica attracts patients because of its price, but patients come back again for its quality.

Brazil – Among the countries that are fast maturing in medical tourism business, affordable plastic surgery in Brazil. has the most potential. Brazil is not the place for unqualified doctors, the country is firm with the repute of its surgeons. The quality of plastic surgery in Brazil is perfect for the average North American or European who wants quality medical procedures at a lower price than to what is offered locally. Affordable plastic surgery in Brazil is one of the most considerable options for state of the art aesthetic make over.

Choosing the right Surgeon for the Medical Procedure

Choosing the right surgeon is one of the most vital steps to ensure the success of the surgery. First thing the patient should investigate is whether the surgeon is qualified to operate or not. A license to operate is not enough, the surgeon must have undergone several years of experience in the field. The success rate of his operations is also a thing to consider, the higher the rate the more chance of getting an excellent result.

Whether pursuing affordable plastic surgery in Argentina or affordable plastic surgery in Costa Rica, patients might still want to know what their local physicians perception about the procedure. Consulting a trusted doctor is a good decision, they can give expert advice and some useful tips on how their patients can make the medical trip more relaxing rather than being tense of the outcome all the time.

Another thing patients might consider is the language barrier. upon choosing the country for medical trips, patients should choose countries that can fluently speak the English dialect or at least has a translator or interpreter. This can greatly help the communication between the patient, the surgeon and the staff that will be handling the procedure.

Distance, Cost and Quality

Aside from affordable plastic surgery in Mexico and affordable plastic surgery in Brazil which are solid choices for patients from the U.S., but how about patients from other countries like Europe (the country second in line with the U.S. in terms of health care cost). How will they choose the right country for medical tourism? There are three important things to consider:

Quality - Use the internet to find out what countries deliver the most excellent surgical performance based upon testimonials, awards and accreditation. Some countries have the repute for top quality cosmetic surgery while other are famous for their world class orthopedics, patients should choose wisely.

Distance - Cross border countries or far off countries? Countries within the proximity is a good choice for quick surgical procedures like dental works. These procedures are not so expensive and taking them on border countries can save patients on transportation. However, when considering major surgeries, it might be necessary to travel to far off countries for low cost high quality plastic surgery.

Cost - Quality should never be bargained with cost, but still cost plays a significant role when making decisions for which country and hospital to choose. The cost involved are not just for the surgery alone but also involves transportation expenses, accommodation, and other related costs.

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