Tummy Tuck Surgery Abroad

When we know we are going on holiday, many of us will spend hours, weeks and even months trying to get that perfect beach body. We’ll do all the crunches and sit-ups we can in order to ensure that we get some positive attention when strolling by the sea or lounging by the pool. However, there are a growing number of people who are opting to go abroad in order to gain their ideal body.

A tummy tuck abroad is one the most popular procedures in the surgery-tourism world; people want to go away on holiday and come back looking flatter, firmer and more fabulous than they did when they left.  Technological advances all over the globe have meant that the procedure is now available in all four corners of the earth, from Europe to South America and Asia.  

The cost of a tummy tuck abroad vary from country to country and, if it’s the cheapest price which you’re seeking out then you may well have to travel further away; whether you feel physically and mentally up to this task is something which will require heavy consideration and is an issue which is dealt with on the more general pages on this website.

So, back to the tummy tuck. It involves the cutting away of excess skin which can often be left as a painful reminder of an obese past or an unwanted remnant of a pregnancy.As we put on weight the skin stretches to accommodate our new size and then, when we lose weight, the skin loses its elasticity and cannot adjust to our new smaller size. This leaves us with hanging skin on our stomachs which no amount of exercise, dieting or creative dressing will ever get rid of- surgery is really the only option for getting rid of such unsightly problems.

You’ve decided to undergo surgery so that next time your down at the local swimming baths or on a hot, sunny beach somewhere, you can feel confident and fabulous in your bikini; there’s just one problem, the average price of a tummy tuck in the U.K is around £4800 and you just don’t have that kind of money at your disposal (who does have that kind of disposable income in these uncertain economic times?) So, you vow to look abroad in order to find cheaper prices and, as long as you’re sensible, there really are some great savings to be made.

If you don’t feel like going too far abroad, then Europe can offer some fairly good savings: tummy tucks are around 47% cheaper in France and the picturesque setting of Greece could provide you with a saving of up to 26%. Of course, these are only estimations and you should call up your practise of choice in these countries in order to determine the actual cost. Each procedure, no matter where you have it done, is priced on your individual and unique requirements and thus no accurate picture of worldwide prices could really be given. If you are feeling daring and think that Europe is just a little bit too close and the prices are still a little bit too high then you can go even further afield. 

The Eastern European country of Lithuania can offer around 70% cheaper tummy tucks than are available in the U.K but one would advise that thorough research into the healthcare system and general state of care is embarked upon before this is considered as an option. Further massive savings have been reported by people in Brazil, where Tummy Tucks could cost just a little over £1000. These prices are collected from the TreatmentAbroad Pricewatch Survey 2008, which takes a cross-section of all the different clinics and companies within the country in question.

This means that, if a price seems drastically low, such as that of Brazil, it could well be that shady operators are pulling down the average price as they will be charging less than the most reputable companies. One of the most important things to remember when shopping around is that, if an offer seems too good to be true then, most likely it probably is.

With tummy tuck surgery, as with a lot of other plastic surgery procedures, there are other costs which need to be considered as well. Treatment in Brazil might be incredibly cheap but how much is it going to cost for you to fly out there? Also, as a tummy tuck is a very hard procedure to recover from, you might not be feeling properly better for a couple of weeks, can you afford to stay in Brazil, in a comfortable location, for that amount of time?

Also, on the way back, will you feel O.K in the cramped conditions of a flight? Can you afford to upgrade your flight in order to give yourself the comfort which you will most likely need so soon after such a major surgery? Surgery tourism always seems so glamorous; jetting off to a luxurious, sunny location and coming back an entirely new person and being the envy of all your friends.

The reality, or the nightmare if you see some of the worst stories bounding about on the internet, is very different and hidden costs can often mean that it may have been more worth your while staying in the U.K. You won’t be able to move without pain for at least a week after a tummy tuck operation and, if at home, you would have family and friends around you to help you recover.

If you are abroad, and the hospital you have chosen only has a duty of care to you for a certain number of days (many establishments in this country will discharge you only a day or two after having a tummy tuck) will you be physically able to look after yourself? A tummy tuck can completely change the way we feel about ourselves, so it could be worth spending a bit of extra money on. Your health and happiness are priceless.