Cosmetic surgery abroad: what to check first, and who looks after you at home
The added risks of cosmetic surgery abroad come from travel and distance: blood clots from flying too soon, and problems that appear once you are home, far from the surgeon who operated. NHS Scotland will always give emergency care, but it has no obligation to provide other care before or after surgery you have arranged abroad, and standard travel insurance does not normally cover it. Before you book anywhere, check who will operate, meet them in person, and get the aftercare plan in writing.
Many operations abroad go well. People travel for cosmetic surgery often because the price quoted is lower. This guide sets out what the UK government, the NHS and the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) advise, what to ask before you book, and what happens if something goes wrong once you are home. The same questions apply to any clinic, in the UK or abroad.
Is the price really lower?
It can be. Compare what each price includes, because a quote for surgery abroad may not cover:
- more than one consultation, or a consultation with the surgeon before the day
- the anaesthetist, the hospital stay, and compression garments
- flights and a hotel for the days before and after surgery, for you and anyone travelling with you
- specialist insurance for complications, because ordinary travel insurance does not normally cover them
- wound checks, stitch removal and reviews once you are home, and any return trips
- further surgery if something goes wrong, or if you are unhappy with the result
NHS Scotland points out that tests or appointments left out of a package can cost more to arrange later as extras.
What should I check before I book?
Questions to have answered in writing
- Who will operate? Get the surgeon’s full name and check that they are a registered specialist in plastic surgery in that country, using that country’s official register. In the UK the equivalent is the GMC Specialist Register.
- Will you meet that surgeon before the day? BAAPS recommends two consultations before surgery, at least one in person, ideally two weeks apart, with the in-person one at least 48 hours before the operation.
- Are the surgeon and the hospital regulated? Both should come under that country’s national medical and healthcare regulator.
- What indemnity cover does the surgeon have? Ask whether you could use it as a patient from another country, and ask to see the certificate.
- Who gives the anaesthetic, and what kind is planned?
- How long must you stay before flying home? Book your flight home after you have the surgeon’s answer.
- Who sees you after you get home? BAAPS advises at least one review by the operating surgeon before you travel, then phone or video follow-up once you are home, with an early review at one to two weeks and another between six weeks and six months.
- What happens, and who pays, if you need to go back to theatre?
- Will you get your operation notes in English? Any surgeon who sees you later will need them, and the details of any implant used.
- Does your insurance cover complications of planned surgery? Read the policy wording, and do not assume it does.
The UK government also advises discussing and agreeing your treatment with your UK GP before you consult a doctor abroad, making sure the surgical team has seen your full medical record, and being wary of packages that combine surgery with a holiday.
How long should I stay before flying home?
Flying soon after surgery raises the risk of a blood clot in the leg or the lungs. The advice differs a little between sources, so plan around the longest that applies to you.
NHS
- Breast surgery, liposuction
- Do not fly for 5 to 7 days
- Facial surgery, tummy tuck
- Do not fly for 7 to 10 days
UK government
- After a general anaesthetic
- Plan to stay in the country for at least 10 days
- Before you fly
- The airline may need to know about your surgery, to confirm you are fit to fly
BAAPS
- General anaesthetic up to 3 hours, or a long operation under local
- Arrive at least 72 hours before, stay 1 to 2 weeks after
- Longer or bigger operations
- Arrive 1 week before, stay 2 to 4 weeks after
BAAPS applies its timings to journeys of around four hours or more. For short operations under local anaesthetic it advises no extra stay. On the journey it advises an aisle seat, plenty of fluids, walking about during the flight, and compression stockings.
Your surgeon is the right person to give you the timing for your operation. As a guide, after an operation under general anaesthetic with us we advise waiting 3 to 4 weeks before a long-haul flight. For comparison, our own recovery guides give the timings we advise after surgery here, for example in our eyelid surgery recovery guide.
Who is most at risk from travelling after surgery?
BAAPS asks surgeons to take particular care with patients who:
- have had a blood clot before, or have a family history of blood clots
- have a BMI over 30
- are over 40
- take the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy by mouth
- have had weight-loss surgery, or are having body contouring around the whole trunk
If any of these apply to you, a long journey soon after surgery adds more risk, and it is worth asking your GP and the surgeon directly how they would reduce it.
What can go wrong once I am home?
Most problems after cosmetic surgery are not caused by travel, but they are harder to deal with when the surgeon who operated is in another country. They include:
- bleeding, or a wound infection
- a collection of fluid (seroma) or blood (haematoma) under the skin, which may need draining or a return to theatre
- a blood clot in the leg, which NHS Scotland warns can spread to the lungs and be life threatening
- a result you are unhappy with
In April 2022 BAAPS reported that the number of patients treated in the UK for complications of cosmetic surgery abroad rose by 44% in 2021 compared with the year before. It estimates that emergency NHS care for a complication costs about £15,000 per patient on average. NHS guidance calls a holiday straight after surgery unrealistic, and BAAPS advises no sunbathing or swimming while you recover.
Who looks after me when I get home?
NHS Scotland will always provide emergency care, wherever you had your surgery.
- In an emergency, call 999 or go to your nearest emergency department.
- For an urgent problem that is not an emergency, such as a possible wound infection, call NHS 24 on 111 the same day. Do not wait for a reply from the clinic abroad.
- Contact the surgeon who operated as well, and keep their contact details with you.
- See your GP for anything that is not urgent.
What will the NHS not provide?
NHS Scotland says it is under no obligation to provide care before or after surgery you have arranged abroad, other than emergency care. BAAPS says the NHS will generally treat life-threatening complications, and that other treatment may have to be paid for by you. Your GHIC or EHIC does not cover planned treatment abroad, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office cannot usually help with problems or costs from treatment you travelled for.
What if I am unhappy with the result?
A wound problem, or feeling unwell, is not a question of the result. Get it seen now, as set out above. For the result itself, give the swelling and scar tissue time to settle before anyone judges it. Ask the surgeon who operated what they offer first. If you want a second opinion, a UK consultant plastic surgeon can examine you and tell you what is possible. Further surgery is often harder than a first operation, because of scar tissue and because it is not always clear from the outside what was done. Bring your operation notes, and any implant details, to the consultation.
What happens at a consultation with us?
If you are considering surgery with us: the consultation costs £200 and is face to face with the consultant plastic surgeon who would operate. Your surgeon examines you, tells you what would help and what would not, and goes through the risks and the recovery. You then get one written price, and a second consultation before you decide is free.
The written price includes the surgeon, the hospital and theatre, the anaesthetist when one is needed, and nurse reviews and appointments with your surgeon for 12 months after cosmetic surgery. Every plastic surgeon who operates with us is on the GMC Specialist Register for plastic surgery, and our guide to cosmetic surgery red flags covers what else to check wherever you have surgery.
You can book online or call the team on 0131 376 3785.
Questions patients ask
Is it safe to have cosmetic surgery abroad? Many operations abroad go well. The added risks come from travel and distance: flying too soon raises the risk of a blood clot, and problems that appear after you get home are harder to deal with. BAAPS, the NHS and the UK government all advise checking the surgeon and planning your aftercare before you book. BAAPS advises meeting the surgeon in person.
Will the NHS treat complications from cosmetic surgery abroad? NHS Scotland will always provide emergency care. It says it is under no obligation to provide other care before or after surgery you arranged abroad. BAAPS says the NHS will generally treat life-threatening complications, and that other treatment may have to be paid for by you.
Does travel insurance cover cosmetic surgery abroad? Standard travel insurance does not normally cover you if you travel for planned surgery, and your GHIC or EHIC does not cover it either. You are likely to need specialist cover. Read the policy wording before you book.
How soon can I fly after cosmetic surgery? NHS guidance is not to fly for 5 to 7 days after breast surgery or liposuction, and 7 to 10 days after facial surgery or a tummy tuck. The UK government advises staying at least 10 days after a general anaesthetic. BAAPS advises longer for journeys of about four hours or more: one to two weeks after a general anaesthetic of up to three hours, and two to four weeks after longer operations. Your surgeon should give you the timing for your operation.
What should I ask a clinic abroad before booking? Who will operate and whether they are a registered specialist in plastic surgery, whether you will meet them in person before the day, what the price includes, who sees you once you are home, what happens if you need further surgery, and whether you will get your operation notes in English.
Can a UK surgeon fix surgery done abroad? A UK consultant plastic surgeon can examine you and tell you what is possible. Further surgery is often harder than a first operation and is usually planned only once swelling and scar tissue have settled. Bring your operation notes and any implant details.
Should I tell my GP before having surgery abroad? Yes. The UK government advises that you discuss and agree your treatment with your UK GP, dentist or clinician before you consult a doctor abroad, and ask how you would receive aftercare when you return.
Sources: NHS, Cosmetic surgery abroad; NHS inform, Surgery abroad without NHS referral; GOV.UK Travel Aware, Surgery abroad; GOV.UK, Medical emergencies, treatment and hospitalisation abroad; BAAPS, Cosmetic tourism; BAAPS Cosmetic Tourism Guidelines, September 2023; BAAPS audit, April 2022.
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