Cosmetic surgery abroad: a safety checklist before you book

This list is meant for the weeks before you pay anything. Print it, or keep it open on your phone, and go through it with every clinic or hospital you are considering, in Turkey, Thailand, Mexico or anywhere else. If a provider cannot answer a point clearly and in writing, treat that as an answer in itself.

Cosmetic surgery is still surgery. It involves an anaesthetic, a wound, a recovery period and real risks, and a good surgeon will sometimes tell you that a procedure is not right for you, or not right yet. That is a sign of a careful surgeon, not a lost sale.

The surgeon's registration in that country

Every country has its own system for licensing doctors, usually a national medical council or the ministry of health. The NHS advises patients to check how surgeons and clinics are regulated in the country they choose, and how those standards are enforced.

• Ask for the surgeon's full name and registration number, and check it with that country's licensing body.
• Ask what specialist training they have in plastic or cosmetic surgery, and how often they do the operation you want.
• Make sure the surgeon will explain the procedure in a language you fully understand, either directly or through a qualified interpreter.
• Confirm that the person you meet at consultation is the person who will operate.

Where the operation takes place

Ask for the name and address of the building where you will be operated on, and whether it is a hospital or a smaller clinic. Both can be safe, but the questions differ.

• Is the facility licensed for surgery by the local health authority, and does it hold any accreditation you can check yourself?
• If something goes wrong during or after the operation, is there an intensive care unit on site? If not, which hospital would you be moved to, and how?
• Will you stay overnight, and who checks on you during the night?

The NHS warns against paying for a hospital you have not seen or a surgeon you have not met. Ask for a video call from the facility if you cannot visit before you travel.

Who gives the anaesthetic

Ask whether a qualified anaesthetist (a doctor who specialises in anaesthesia) will be present for the whole operation, and what type of anaesthetic is planned. Tell the team about every medicine you take, including supplements, and about any previous problem with an anaesthetic. Smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and being very overweight all change the risk, and your surgeon may ask you to stop smoking or get a condition under control before they agree to operate.

Combining procedures

Some patients want two or three procedures in one trip. A combined operation means a longer anaesthetic and a bigger recovery, and the CDC Yellow Book lists the risks of combining surgery with long flights and holiday activities as something travellers should understand. Some surgeons combine certain procedures, others prefer to do them in stages. Ask how long the combined operation would take, why the surgeon thinks it is reasonable for you, and how the recovery and flying time change as a result.

Time before you fly home

Flying soon after surgery raises the risk of blood clots. The NHS advises against flying for 5 to 7 days after breast surgery or liposuction, and for 7 to 10 days after facial procedures or a tummy tuck. These are general figures. Your own surgeon decides when you are fit to fly, and may ask you to wait longer.

Build these days into your plan before you book. The NHS also describes going on holiday straight after surgery as unrealistic: you should rest, and avoid alcohol, sun, swimming and long days of sightseeing while you heal.

Aftercare once you are home

Before you leave, you should know:

• which appointments happen before you fly, and who sees you
• who to contact with a question once you are home, and how quickly they reply
• what happens, and who pays, if you need to return for treatment of a complication
• which warning signs mean you should go to a local doctor or emergency department straight away

Ask for your operation note, discharge summary and medicine list in a language your own doctor can read. The CDC notes that some overseas providers charge extra for follow-up care, so ask what the price includes. Check your insurance too: the NHS points out that ordinary travel insurance does not normally cover you if something goes wrong with surgery.

Red flags

Walk away, or at least slow down, if you see any of these:

• Pressure to book. Discounts that expire tomorrow, deposits demanded before you have spoken to a surgeon, or messages that push you to decide quickly.
• No real consultation. You only ever speak to a salesperson or coordinator, never the surgeon. The NHS suggests two consultations with the surgeon before surgery, with time to think in between.
• A price far below everyone else's with no clear explanation of what it includes.
• No written plan for complications or follow-up.
• Surgery sold as part of a holiday package, with tours or beach days straight after the operation.
• Vague answers about the surgeon's name, registration or the place of surgery.

Using the list

When MediCurage collects quotes for a cosmetic procedure, we ask each hospital for the surgeon's details, where the operation takes place and what the price covers, so you can work through this list for each option. You can take as long as you need to decide, and you can decide not to go ahead at all.