Cosmetic Surgery in Thailand and Why You Should Avoid It

• 26 November 2018
• MCC Marketing

Last updated on July 10, 2024

When it comes to cosmetic surgery — or any surgery — patients expect safety and a successful outcome. These factors, a culmination of the training, skill and experience of your practitioner, often come at a premium. Of course, most if not all individuals will factor in cost when selecting the procedure they will have and who will perform it, and when faced with any expensive purchase, individuals will almost always look for a bargain — in this case, a safe and successful surgery at a deeply discounted price. This natural impulse has lead to the rise of medical tourism.

Medical tourism is a phenomenon where prospective patients travel abroad to have their cosmetic surgery at a lower cost, taking advantage of many factors including exchange rates. Because of the costs of cosmetic surgery in Australia, many Aussies might find themselves looking to places like Thailand to achieve their cosmetic goals inexpensively. This search for low-cost alternatives to high-quality cosmetic surgery has directly led to the recent boom in medical tourism in Thailand. But will the surgery you have in Thailand surgery be the same quality as one you would have in Australia?

Understanding the Risks of Cosmetic Procedures

Many of the most common and popular cosmetic procedures are invasive. As a result, cosmetic surgeries share the same kinds and levels of risk as any other type of invasive surgery. These risks, although rare, include infection, blood clots and complications from anaesthesia to name only a few possible issues. The overwhelming majority of patients who have cosmetic surgery, however, enjoy problem-free procedures because of the expertise of their doctor.

However, because elective surgeries primarily affect our appearance, some individuals may take the risks of these surgeries less seriously than non-elective surgeries. This is a mistake. A prospective patient should take each surgery they may have seriously and research it and their practitioner meticulously. In other words, you should choose a Doctor just as you would choose a cardiovascular practitioner or a neuropractitioner, for example, because all surgeries share common and serious risks. No procedure should be taken lightly.

The Many Dangers of Discount Surgeries

While a well-regulated medical tourism industry could become viable in the decades to come, the industry as it exists now creates many risks but adds few benefits other than cost savings. The medical tourism industry encourages overseas practitioners to compete on price rather than on qualifications, and fewer dollars earned by the practitioners who will perform your surgery will inevitably translate into “cut corners” in their practices which increase patient risk. Lower cost surgeries also mean that practitioners will have to perform more surgeries more quickly to keep their practices viable, and rushed surgeries are never safe surgeries.

Thailand’s surgery is steady and strong influx of cosmetic medical tourists is largely fuelled by appealing and successful advertising and marketing campaigns. Unfortunately, many patients become victims who discover that these inflated claims are misleading only after their procedures. Frequently, unequipped and over-worked practitioners and their practices deliver sub-par procedures and undesirable results which can include plain negligence. The success and appeal of the industry’s marketing campaigns are often met with its polar opposite — surgeries that will require one or more revision surgeries, significant additional costs and years of regret. This fails to mention, of course, that a botched surgery could also be a fatal one.

A Foreign Doctor Is not a Bad Doctor

Good, reputable and well-trained practitioners exist in every country and market and serve the needs of their patients as best as they can every day, and not every procedure performed overseas will necessarily be sub-par. However, you do face additional risks, and these risks are serious. Overseas treatments should be subjected to significantly more scrutiny than procedures you can have in Australia since training and regulatory standards differ as do the malpractice and liability laws in foreign countries. Also, patients face other practical challenges and risk since they must travel back home after their treatment, inviting dangers they wouldn’t have with a local procedure.

For this reason, your priority as a prospective patient seeking a cosmetic procedure should be to seek the very best care from specialists in their field at the very best clinics — not to select the best bargain for your surgery. To return to a previous example, you would not travel to a less-reputable or less-experienced clinic or physician to receive a bargain on an invasive heart or cranial procedure. Don’t take that same chance on a cosmetic procedure, either. No matter the reason, and no matter the surgery, you should never settle for anything less than the best care from the best physicians available to you.

Search for value, not for bargains

The safest and most successful surgeries will rarely have the lowest price tag. While the expenses associated with cosmetic procedures can seem daunting — even discouraging — you should still limit your search to only the safest possible options. Your lasting health and safety are more valuable than the cost of any individual surgery — even the highest priced one. Cosmetic procedures not only alter your physical appearance but also can have a direct effect on your mental and emotional wellbeing.

The importance of this is clear. A successful surgery can boost your wellbeing, while an unsuccessful one can diminish it even further. When considering cosmetic surgery, it is vital that you choose a clinic which relies upon only reputable, experienced and certified physicians. With considerable expertise and experience also comes a high level of respect for patients and their individual needs, making it much more likely that you will also get the results you want along with a safe procedure.

You can have a safe, effective surgery that delivers long-lasting results and that also fits in your budget in a well-regulated medical industry like those in Australia and the States — but you may need to search longer to find the best option for your needs and budget. Financing can also make your surgery of choice more affordable, especially considering that the results of your surgery may last years and, in some cases, well over a decade. The costs of taking a risk to your appearance and your health, by contrast, will always be significantly higher.

My Cosmetic Clinic Offers Safe, Accepted Treatments Performed by a World-Class practitioner

At My Cosmetic Clinic, you are assured safe and sound procedures offered by a highly trained, certified and experienced practitioner, Dr Masood Ansari MBBS, MSC, MRCS, FACCS. He and his highly-qualified team provide their patients with proven treatments and exceptional service which enjoy among the highest reputation in the industry. Dr Ansari approaches each patient personally and professionally, and he and his team seek to understand all of their needs so that their treatments give them the highest level of satisfaction.

If you are interested in learning more about My Cosmetic Clinic or specific treatments, contact us today. One of our associates would be very happy to speak with you about your candidacy and schedule your consultation. You can reach My Cosmetic Clinic on 1 300 85 49 89. We look forward to helping you reveal a beautiful new you, safely.