Leave for Las Vegas: Don’t Gamble When it Comes to Medical Tourism
With TV shows like “Botched” gaining popularity, surgical horror stories are flooding the media. Medical tourism—traveling to a tourist destination for a medical procedure, such as cosmetic surgery—is getting an increasingly bad reputation due to doctors’ warnings and media coverage of travelers who return with frightening tales of their surgical experiences abroad.
There’s no question—no discount is worth the suffering that can be caused by unsafe conditions and ghastly results. But there is an enormous difference between making a dangerous trek for overseas surgery and traveling to another U.S. city to have surgery with a reputable, qualified cosmetic surgeon in an accredited surgery center.
Making the case for medical tourism
As current President of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, as well as a cosmetic surgeon practicing in Las Vegas—a city that
happens to be one of America’s hubs for medical tourism—I am compelled to offer my perspective to help separate truth from hype.
While taking a trip abroad for leisure can be exciting and fulfilling, traveling overseas for a medical procedure can come with a host of unanticipated risks.
But there is a right way to approach medical tourism. Whether coming from Canada or trekking domestically, traveling to or within the U.S. in pursuit of the results you want can be done safely and successfully.
Feel confident in safe options. While risks still exist in the U.S., there are systems in place to help make choosing a qualified surgeon easier. With stricter sanitation and safety standards than most other countries, combined with certification programs dictated by medical speciality boards, your options for a safe choice are right at your fingertips, if not in your zip code. Just be sure to select a highly qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeon for your procedure. Finding one is simple: just search the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery’s official directory.
A broader selection of cosmetic surgeons to choose from. Cosmetic surgery results may be with you for a lifetime and finding a cosmetic surgeon who has the right training, expertise, and aesthetic style to meet your needs is essential. Traveling opens up your options to find the cosmetic surgeon who is right for you, not just close to you.
The ultimate in patient privacy. Many patients wish to keep their cosmetic surgery “under the radar,” which can be difficult in some smaller towns.
A relaxing, distraction-free, recovery. Spending the initial recovery period away from home removes the temptation to resume impending household & work responsibilities too early in the healing process, allowing a patient to relax and recuperate during this critical period of the cosmetic surgery process.
Have your procedure when you’re ready for it. Visitors traveling to Las Vegas from other countries have additional concerns to consider that we in the U.S. may take for granted. For example, cosmetic surgery patients in Canada have to deal with notoriously long waiting times to even consult with a cosmetic surgeon. A Canadian breast cancer survivor recently announced that she’d been waiting 2 ½ years to meet with a surgeon and, at the time that this post was written, still hadn’t managed to schedule a consultation.
In contrast, at Cosmetic Surgery of Las Vegas we can arrange for a consultation within days after a patient contacts us and are often able to schedule surgery as soon as one week after the initial consult.
Be Our Guest!
We at Cosmetic Surgery of Las Vegas love taking care of our numerous out-of-town guests with the dedication and consideration they deserve. We always strive to provide a safe and comfortable experience, as well as results that meet or exceed expectations.
True, the words “Las Vegas” tend to elicit thoughts of blackjack and bright lights before Botox and breast augmentation, but I’m willing to bet that yours will be a safe and enjoyable medical vacation.
Preparation equals peace of mind. It’s also the best way to guarantee that excess baggage like worry and fear can be left exactly where they belong—at the gate. Our Planning Guide for Out of Town Patients describes the entire process from your initial consultation through the recovery period in detail, includes helpful lists of options for transit and lodging, and contains links to all necessary paperwork.
Why Choose Vegas?
Transportation around town is reliable and easy to come by, a mere phone call will bring delicious and healthy meals directly to your door, and there’s no end to the luxurious yet affordable accommodations available year-round for you to recover in lavish comfort.
Don’t forget about the glorious weather, first class entertainment, exquisite spas, and all of the other thrills that await you and the family members or friends you’ve chosen as companions for your transformative journey.
Whether you’re able to visit to meet with me and the Cosmetic Surgery of Las Vegas team or want to discuss your options over the phone, call us at 702.363.0240 or contact us online so that we can discuss any questions you may have and schedule your appointment today.
