Some American plastic surgeons think the entire concept of plastic surgery vacations is insane, not to mention potentially dangerous.
"It certainly sounds exotic to fly someplace, pay half price for a face-lift and recover by the pool and get a massage," says New York City plastic surgeon Alan Matarasso, a spokesman for the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. "But the reality is you can't sit in the sun after major surgery, and flying after surgery increases your chance of deep vein thrombosis."
DVT has a mortality rate of up to one third, and can cause blood clots on long-flights. Furthering puncturing the myth that a plastic surgery vacation is all fun is that in many cases, massages are also forbidden following surgery.
Matarasso points out there are several different levels of plastic surgery vacations, and most surgeons offer some variety on it. "There's nothing wrong with researching and traveling to see an expert in a particular field," he says. At the risk of sounding elitist, however, there's a reason most of the top plastic surgeons are centered in New York and Los Angeles, and not say, Malaysia.
Matarasso also says that most surgeons (himself included) can arranges a condominium or a hotel stay for his clients to recuperate in, so signing up for a plastic surgery vacation is not always necessary. "Plus, what are you going to do if there's a problem -call the concierge to help stop your bleeding?"
Dr. John McAvoy, a Sonoma, California, based surgeon, also does everything possible to help his patients recuperate in style and comfort. "Some people think I perform surgery in a resort, but that's not true," he says. McAvoy's office can arrange a stay in a nearby resort so that a patient can recuperate among the vineyards but his prices are competitive with other surgeons in the area.
Wendy Lewis, a New York City-based plastic surgery consultant and veteran of the knife herself, has mixed feelings towards the trend.
"Personally, I have no interest in going on safari after plastic surgery," she says. Lewis has received a small number of requests for surgery vacations, mostly from people seeking better rates and who want to recover in privacy but she cautions on certain locations. "Look, Malaysia is the last place I would go for surgery. Where do you think wealthy Malaysians go for plastic surgery? They come to New York City."
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