{"id":126480,"date":"2017-05-31T15:05:27","date_gmt":"2017-05-31T19:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?post_type=school-college-post&p=126480"},"modified":"2017-07-17T15:21:44","modified_gmt":"2017-07-17T19:21:44","slug":"destination-plastic-surgery-staying-domestic-safer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2017\/05\/destination-plastic-surgery-staying-domestic-safer\/","title":{"rendered":"Destination Plastic Surgery: Why Staying Domestic is Safer"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this Q & A article Dr. Andrew Chen<\/a>, chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery at UConn Health, shares what\u2019s trending in plastic surgery and the potential downsides of choosing destination plastic surgery overseas. Find out what you really need to know before considering an elective cosmetic surgery procedure, whether home or away.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Dr.
Dr. Andrew Chen, Plastic Surgery Division Chief at UConn Health (Photo: UConn\/Peter Morenus).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How common is elective plastic surgery and who is seeking the procedures?
\n<\/strong>There is continued growth in cosmetic procedures. According to the latest American Society of Plastic Surgeons, last year over $16 billion was spent on cosmetic surgery and minimally-invasive procedures in the U.S. \u00a0There has been a shift in the types of procedures patients have chosen since the start of the new millennium, with increased diversity in the areas of the body that are now being treated.\u00a0 A growing number of patients are electing to have rejuvenation, and there is a trend towards increasing numbers of younger patients and males seeking cosmetic improvement, in addition to the traditional population of more mature individuals.<\/p>\n

What types of procedures are becoming more popular among women and men?
\n<\/strong>Of the over 1.7 million cosmetic surgical procedures done in the past year, the top five were: breast augmentation, liposuction, nose reshaping, tummy tuck, and buttock augmentation.\u00a0 There has been considerable growth in the number of lifts performed for breast, buttock, body, and arms.\u00a0 With advancements that have occurred in minimally invasive procedures, there has been significant interest and rise in the use of botulinum toxin (botox) and facial fillers, which offer the potential for enhancement with lower cost and less downtime.\u00a0 Popularity tends to follow social trends, with greater desire for buttock lift and augmentation arising through the media\u2019s focus on backsides and growth in lip augmentation with the advent of \u2018selfies.\u2019<\/p>\n

What are the potential concerns for patients traveling internationally for destination plastic surgery?
\n<\/strong>Cosmetic surgery tourism is a concerning practice.\u00a0 Remember, it is hard to put a price on your health and safety. Although patients may think that going overseas to have cosmetic surgery could be cheaper, this may not actually be the case.\u00a0 There are many hidden costs that may result from this, both practical and theoretical.\u00a0 Typically when providing a price for cosmetic surgery, surgeons in the U.S. include postoperative care and follow-up visits, which are not included (or paid for) when going overseas.\u00a0 Should the patient require further follow-up or treatments once they return to the U.S., they may have difficulty finding someone to take over their care, and may incur additional out-of-pocket expenses to be treated by the local physician.\u00a0 Also, it may be unrealistic to return to a foreign country for additional medical care.<\/p>\n

Potential pitfalls include:<\/p>\n