The Independent (UK)
28th August 2005

With a holiday on the beach thrown in or a few days on safari, the fashion for combining sun, surgery and savings makes for big business overseas, as Steve Bloomfield reports

Record numbers of Britons are travelling abroad for plastic surgery amid growing complaints about soaring prices for straightforward procedures in the UK.

New figures show that the combination of sun, sea and surgery is persuading more than 10,000 Britons a year to travel as far afield as Brazil, South Africa and Malaysia for cheap plastic surgery. They are turning their backs on British-based surgeons who often charge up to four times as much as their collegues overseas for a basic operation.

The surge in demand has been fuelled by a wave of cheap deals. Tummy tuck operations, which can cost as much as £6,500 in Britain, cost as little as £1,500 abroad - including the flights, accommodation and, often, a week's convalescence on the beach.

Plastic surgery companies in India, South Africa and Malaysia are all reporting a sharp increase in the number of Britons flying out for tummy tucks, breast enlargements and face lifts. Many of the firms offer holidays as part of the package, enabling patients to recuperate by the beach rather than at home.

Joanna Jones, 35, from Cheltenham, flew to Malaysia earlier this year for liposuction, a tummy tuck and breast enlargement. "I stayed in Kuala Lumpur for two weeks, then spent a week lying on a beach," said the mother of two.

"The hospital was like a five-star hotel and the surgeon had trained in the UK and had been doing it for 25 years," she said.

Ms Jones paid £4,500 for flights, accommodation and surgery. Similar treatment in Britain would have cost her up to £10,000 more - and that's without the holiday.

But British plastic surgeons last night hit back and defended their higher prices, claiming the standard of surgery abroad is often not as high as in Britain.

Despite the rise in numbers travelling abroad, the British market is still growing. More than 16,000 operations were performed last year - an increase of more than 50 per cent over the previous 12 months.

Breast enlargement in Malaysia

Joanna Jones, 35, flew to Malaysia for liposuction and breast enlargement with Gorgeous Getaways in February. Cost: £4,500 for flights, accommodation and surgery.

"Having children had made my breasts go a bit saggy. After my second child I couldn't regain my shape. Callum, my youngest, was three and I hadn't got my figure back. I was a bit despondent.

"The price was what made it so attractive. I could have someone look after the kids while I recovered on a beach. It worked really well.

"It was better in Malaysia than it would have been here. The hospital was like a five-star hotel and the surgeon had trained in the UK and had been doing it for 25 years. There is nothing he does not know about plastic surgery.

"I did extensive research before I committed - the company was just brilliant. They picked me up from the airport and visited me every day to check I was all right. I stayed in Kuala Lumpur for two weeks, then spent a week lying on a beach on an island."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article308634.ece

Back to News Articles