British Couple Sells Home for Medical Tourism Trip - Did It Work Out for Them?

Medical tourism has grown in popularity over the last few years as patients look to save money on plastic surgery by leaving their home country and visiting another country where they can (hopefully) save money on their plastic surgery procedure of choice. There are some dangers involved with the medical tourism process and patients need to know that the other countries they visit might not have the same strict or precise medical standards as the United States or the United Kingdom. Read on to learn how one British couple learned about the dangers of medical tourism the hard way.

British Couple Medical Tourism Trip – How They Made Their Decision

Zara Edgar, thirty-six years of age, and her husband, Igel Edgar, age thirty-nine, decided to visit Turkey in order to have $18,000 worth of plastic surgery. Instead of being thrilled by their new appearance, they actually say they are mortified by the results.

The couple is urging others to not travel abroad just to save money on cosmetic surgery procedures. They also say their story should be a cautionary tale for others interested in following the same path.

They went to Turkey late last year with a feeling of excitement about being able to alter and enhance their appearance. Zara told a reporter, “I was trying to get that Instagram look, where everything is perfect.” She went on to warn the public that they should be careful about “trusting Instagram as a platform for finding surgery – everything looks good on there.”

The couple even made the decision to sell their home in Manchester, England so they could more easily fund their trip. They chose Turkey after they found a clinic on social media that was advertising their services for a lower price than other destinations.

British Couple Medical Tourism Trip – What Went Wrong?

The couple decided to have a number of procedures to alter and update their appearance. Zara had a variety of treatments including breast implants, a tummy tuck, and a butt lift. Igel wanted to gain a perfect smile by having dental implants and veneers placed in his mouth.

The final results did not turn out as planned as Zara is still in pain more than three months after her visit to Turkey. She also has a large amount of scarring on her body. Igel is living with the worry that his improved smile can end any minute as his dental implants have an unsteady feel.

Zara says, “I feel so upset about it. I wanted to feel good in my bikini. Igel said I looked lovely before. I wish I’d believed him. My tummy feels like there’s metal inside. It makes me so unhappy.”

When asked for further thoughts, Zara is also not happy with the results of her butt lift while Igel is not a fan of the unsteady results of his new teeth. “Igel’s implants were {also} supposed to give him confidence, but he’s more worried now than ever.”

Zara is warning others thinking about medical tourism to exercise caution. “I just want people to know not to do this, do as much research as you can.”

Zara wishes she had spent more money and stayed home in England to have her desired plastic surgery procedures. “It might be cheaper to go abroad than the UK but it’s much much more important to care for your body than get anything cheap.

When asked about possibly having additional surgery to try and correct or revise the results of their surgeries, Zara said she has contacted the clinic they visited for the procedures. The clinic has invited the couple to visit again as their plastic surgery procedures come with a guarantee of twenty years. However, the couple is not sure if they will make the return journey to Turkey to try and revise the results of their botched treatments.

Medical Tourism in Turkey – Are the Results Always Less Than Desired?

The Edgars are not the only patients who have decided to speak out about the less than stellar results they received from visiting Turkey:

• A British woman says she was left in a great amount of pain after she failed to receive the needed numbing medication when she had fresh crowns placed in her mouth.
• Another British woman visited Istanbul to have abdominoplasty and breast augmentation as part of a mommy makeover. She made the decision after her friend recommended a lower priced surgeon in the city. The final results left her with a large scar on her stomach, wide holes in her breasts, and a lung infection that threatened her life.

There are some patients who say their visits to Turkey provided the results they hoped to achieve:

• One social media user says her lower priced dental work was “the best decision I’ve ever made.”
• A California woman went to Turkey for rhinoplasty and then took to social media to share the news that the results of her nose job made her look “hot as hell.”

The decision to travel elsewhere for plastic surgery must be made based on the needs of each individual patient. Anyone who is interested in medical tourism must perform proper research to learn more about the doctor they want to visit, the medical facility where the procedure will be performed, and the availability of the doctor to perform follow-up treatments or appointments to monitor the recovery process of the patient and answer any questions the person might have during the recovery period.

- MA