Medical Tourism: Plastic Surgery Destinations 2010

By Brandie Umar - Executive Director of Content | August 16th, 2010

The medical tourism industry continues to expand as plastic surgery abroad becomes a more popular option with international patients. In 2009, over 150,000 American patients are estimated to have travelled abroad for treatment and many countries in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe actively provide medical tourism options.

As the medical tourism arena widens, destinations for medical tourism change in popularity. Initial locations such as Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica continue to be popular with international patients, however a number of new countries are emerging as medical tourism destinations. Since 2005, India and Argentina have increased in popularity as has Thailand. In Europe, while Turkey, Hungary and Bulgaria continue to draw medical tourists, Poland, Spain and Tunisia have also become destinations for patients seeking medical treatment and cosmetic procedures.

Plastic Surgery Destinations 2010

Plastic surgery is the area of medicine that launched the medical tourism boom and as such offers patients the widest destination options. It is estimated that over 30 countries specialise in providing plastic surgery to international patients.

Thailand continues to be a popular cosmetic surgery destination. Patients from Europe and America travel to Thailand for plastic surgery to receive advanced treatments at up to 50% lower costs. Thailand often provides patients with additional privacy and procedures restricted in home countries.

Plastic surgeons in Thailand are renowned worldwide for expertise in sexual reassignment surgery and offer specialised guidance and surgery to transgender patients. Cosmetic surgery procedures such as breast implants, rhinoplasty and tummy-tucks are sought by many patients from Europe combining a vacation in Thailand with a plastic surgery procedure.

Costa Rica, Argentina and Brazil continue to attract patients from America and Canada while the introduction of quick border passes for patients traveling to Mexico for medical purposes has ensured that Mexico remains an accessible healthcare destination for US patients.

A rising destination for medical tourism is Dubai. Plastic surgeons in the United Emirates are highly respected surgeons, renowned worldwide for excellence and advances in plastic surgery techniques. As plastic surgery becomes more popular with Middle Eastern patients, the number of patients traveling to Dubai to visit some of the worlds most qualified surgeons increases.The United Emirates is the ideal location for patients who want to recover in complete privacy after surgery as the regions excellent hotels and resorts work alongside plastic surgeons in Dubai to ensure patients experiences of medical tourism in the Emirates is world class.

Turkey continues to attract patients from Europe who are drawn by the expertise of the plastic surgeons, the convenience of travel and the costs of surgery. Within Turkey, Izmir is a rising plastic surgery destination for medical tourists. Located on the Anatolian coast, Izmir is easily accessible and offers much in the way of culture and comfort for patients recovering from plastic surgery in Turkey. With well-known plastic surgery clinics such as CTG Healthcare, patients traveling to Izmir can be assured of the quality of surgery they will receive.

Poland, Hungary and Bulgaria continue to attract European patients, particularly patients who wish to reduce the waiting times for surgery. Plastic surgery clinics in Poland can often schedule surgery within a week of the patients enquiry and offer support and guidance throughout the process of travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures.

Plastic surgery abroad offers a range of options to patients who want to reduce the costs of a cosmetic procedure, undergo plastic surgery in privacy or combine a life-changing procedure with a celebratory vacation. Patients who are considering traveling abroad are reminded to check the qualifications of the plastic surgeons before scheduling an appointment and to ensure they are fully informed as to what the procedure involves and the expected recovery time.

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