There are all kinds of reasons to travel across the globe, from expanding your view of the world, to eating incredible food. However, the latest travel trend has less to do with changing your perspective, and more to do with changing your body.
For one, beauty tourism, as it’s known online, is the practice of traveling abroad with the specific intention of getting beauty treatments in another country, some as noninvasive as cheap hair extensions, and some as intense as going under the knife.
Countries like South Korea and Turkey have become centers for this kind of travel, and it has become more common to see photos of airports and planes packed with nose-plastered travelers and hair-implanted men. But as its popularity grows, we have to ask the question: Is beauty tourism safe?
For starters, it should be known that the United States is also a common destination for people seeking speciality treatments. “I have a significant population of patients from western Europe, including Spain, Ireland, Italy, and Greece. People are willing to travel for a super-specialist,” says Dr. Benjamin Caughlin, a facial plastic surgeon at Impressions Face and Body, based out of Chicago.
Thanks in part to Hollywood stars–who can become almost like walking ads for various beauty treatments, surgeries, and doctors–it’s no surprise that people fly to cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago to seek out the best of the best.
Finding the right doctor—especially for invasive, risk-heavy procedures like plastic surgery—is paramount. Some overseas locals have become known for their skills in certain areas. “Hair transplants and rhinoplasties are very common in Turkey. They perform these procedures frequently and have become very skilled at them,” says Dr. Caughlin.
Similarly, skin treatments in South Korea have become almost legendary. “I think the Korean beauty concept is genius and works well,” says double board-certified dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal. “Many of my patients have had a very good experience. I think if patients want to venture out and want to try cutting edge technology and skincare, it’s safe to go to South Korea.”
However, seeking out the best of the best is hardly the only reason why beauty tourism has ballooned. Sometimes people go abroad because patients are seeking out treatments that, for better or worse, are not legal or common in the United States.
“Many people go to Korea for stem cell facials, salmon sperm injections, and skin tightening treatments that are not FDA-approved here in the United States,” says Dr. Lal. “Many patients go to South America for injectable fillers that are not currently available in the United States. The FDA has a very rigorous process in the United States and things take much longer to get approved for the safety of the general public.”
When BBLs–Brazilian butt lifts–reached new heights in popularity, patients seeking this surgery often went abroad, because many American plastic surgeons ban this procedure in their offices due to its high risks to patients. Even when the sought-after treatment is considered generally safe, countries with looser regulations than the United States can become hubs for beauty tourism.
It has to be said, however, that the answer as to why beauty tourism has expanded is simple: The price. “I think the number one driving factor for why people are going overseas for plastic surgery is cost,” says Dr. Rukmini Rednam, plastic surgeon and founder of Dr. Rednam Plastic Surgery. “In places like Turkey, Mexico, Korea and the Dominican Republic, to name a few, the US dollar can go a lot further. So despite travel costs, people feel that plastic surgery in some of these places abroad is more within their reach and affordable.”
It is true that within the United States, the price of plastic surgery, skin treatments, and hair extensions has reached heights that mean the combined cost of plane tickets, hotels, and the treatments abroad can be less expensive. However, this mindset can come with many risks. “I think it’s worth going to specialists. However, be cautious about shopping only on price,” says Dr. Caughlin. “There are excellent surgeons who charge less than others, so don’t base your decision solely on cost.”
On the operating table and off, traveling abroad for surgery comes with increased risk. “While I understand the appeal of traveling abroad, there are several important factors to consider,” says Dr. Rednam. “Every country has different regulations for surgeons and facilities, and if you do not live in that country, you really have no way of knowing what these are for that country. You may not even have an actual trained plastic surgeon operating on you.”
Even if all goes well with the procedure itself, complications could arise once you return home. “If you have a complication, you will not be able to see your surgeon again unless you travel back to their country. I’ve seen many patients who return after traveling abroad for surgery who have an issue and are unable to get any help from their treatment clinic,” Dr. Rednam continues.
This is a worry for Dr. Caughlin as well. “Consider access to your surgeon post-operation. I give all my patients my cell phone number. One issue with overseas surgery is the lack of access when problems arise. I’ve treated patients in Chicago who had surgery abroad and encountered issues like infections or abscesses. I know surgeons in almost every major city worldwide whom I trust and can refer patients to.”
And then there is the simple matter of getting home. Even treatments like hair transplants or more invasive facials can become infected, and airports are hardly sterile environments. For many surgeries, in particular BBLs, blot clots are a major concern.
“We know from studies that long flights after big surgeries are not safe and not recommended. Most of these patients are often quickly on return flights which puts them at risk for blood clot complications,” warns Dr. Rednam. That is not even getting into the physical discomfort people can experience flying at high altitudes in cramped conditions.
While prices may be raised at home, experts agree that going overseas on a beauty tourism trip is rarely a good idea. “Beauty tourism can be safe in any country, but it depends on the specific clinic, doctor, and team. You need to do your research. Word of mouth is often the best way, along with reviews and board certifications. However, certifications can vary by country,” says Dr. Caughlin. Even the most skilled team, however, cannot ensure no complications arise. Having a doctor near where you live could be life-saving if a complication did occur after returning home.
In most cases, the US does offer similar, if not the exact same, treatments within its borders. Despite this, experts are not expecting the rates of beauty tourism to dip. “Given the cost of consumables and services in the United States, I expect beauty tourism to increase, since procedures are so much cheaper outside the United States,” says Dr. Lal. While social media shows the excitement of beauty tourism, be aware of the drawbacks. “Just because your friend or someone on social media had surgery abroad and did fine and had no issues does not mean you will. Every person’s body can respond differently to surgery and having reliable aftercare is not a luxury but a necessity,” says Dr. Rednam. As beauty tourism becomes more popular, we can expect more procedures, and more practitioners to get in on this burgeoning market. Dr. Lal warns, “as tourism increases, the number of complications will increase.”
