It seems that the holiday season is not only a time to get into the festive spirit and spending time with families and friends. It turns out that a number of holiday travelers also pencil in cosmetic surgery plans during their vacation. But cosmetic surgeons are warning patients that opting for cheaper services abroad can also possess certain risks to them.

The main reason why a lot of people choose to have invasive cosmetic surgery abroad is the fact that they are cheaper. Experts even predicted that the medical tourism industry will increase into a $100 billion industry.

According to a survey that is conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs on 18,731 adults in 24 countries on behalf of Reuters news, nearly a third of the subjects claim that they are open to medical tourism. Nicolas Boyon who is the senior vice president of Ipsos Public Affairs, says that it is does not come as a surprise that patients from both sexes in emerging countries would be more open to medical tourism if the treatments were cheaper.

However, with the kind of economic climate that is experienced worldwide, even those from advanced countries are going for more affordable services. Subjects from Italy comprised 66% of the total patients of the study, Canada with 41%, Germany at 48% and the United States with 38%. And it is often the case that these patients schedule their trips in time for the busiest travelling season of the year – the holidays.

Some find this an efficient plan because they can have the procedure and recuperate afterwards on vacation. And developing countries are becoming the common destinations for medical tourism. It is the advances in practice and technology that brought these countries at the forefront of this industry, adding to the affordable price range.

But aside from the convenience that it may bring this holiday season, clients should take extra precaution in preparation. There are a number of things that has to be considered such as:

– The fact that cosmetic surgery is a real invasive procedure. This entails certain risks such as bleeding and infection, which are serious complications. Unfortunately, these are commonly observed in patients who received poor quality procedures abroad.

– Travel and surgery increases the risk for complications. There is a good reason why doctors would have patients schedule their leave when they choose to have a rather invasive cosmetic procedure done. This is for their bodies to safely recuperate. With travel on the schedule, this can pose some risks to the healing and fragile body which could possibly lead to complications.

– Some surgeons may not be duly certified. Going to a foreign place to get the procedure done by a doctor in the area would entail certain risks especially if information about the surgeon is inadequate.

– Inadequate follow-up care. Having a procedure done abroad breaks the continuity of care once the patient comes back home. Should complications occur, it may be harder and more costly to get revision surgeries.

– The lack of accreditation and licensing of the clinic. Some patients may overlook the importance of finding a duly accredited and licensed clinic that will provide the service. The danger here is that there is a possibility that quality of critical care facilities may be inadequate and products or devices used may not meet safe and quality standards.

– Bargain cosmetic surgeries may not always give you the winning deal. Getting something at a much cheaper price may not always guarantee safety. When complications occur, patients could incur additional and more expensive revision procedures than if they had the original operation done back home.

Kelly Clarke is a reporting journalist with MarketersMedia.com. She is also a specialist in press release distribution.

Kelly Clarke is a reporting journalist with http://MarketersMedia.com. She is also a specialist in press release distribution and newswire service.

Author Bio: Kelly Clarke is a reporting journalist with MarketersMedia.com. She is also a specialist in press release distribution.

Category: Medical Business
Keywords: cosmetic surgery, medical tourism, holiday, health, press release