Seeking Breast Augmentation Surgery Outside Australia - What You Need To Know
Interest in cosmetic surgeries amongst Australians has risen significantly over the past two decades, with more surgeries per capita than the United States. The most popular cosmetic surgery internationally is breast enhancement surgery. Recent years have also shown that more and more Australians are traveling abroad for the procedure.
If you are planning to seek breast enhancement, or indeed another type of cosmetic surgery abroad in 2023, as many thousands of Australians do every year, then you need to be sure that you have appropriate, specialist medical travel insurance designed with such a purpose in mind.
You may already have travel insurance, but in the event that you should need to claim on it, you will likely find that your policy would not cover you if the purpose of your trip was to undergo a cosmetic procedure.
Instead, you will require specialist medical travel insurance for cosmetic surgery abroad which is designed with travel for such a procedure in mind.
What is breast augmentation surgery?
Breast augmentation surgery is the most popular type of cosmetic surgery for Australians, both within Australia and overseas. The surgery itself is about improving the shape and volume of the breast in proportion to the body.
Typically, this common procedure involves the use of a silicone implant. This implant is inserted behind the breast, through a small incision, typically at the inframammary fold although the exact shape and location for implant insertion, along with the desired shape, size and feel of your enhanced breasts will be discussed and agreed with your surgeon in advance.
Breast implants surgery in Australia can be expensive. It is understood to cost anything from $12,000 to $15,000 for the procedure and given breast implants are not considered to last a lifetime, these prices may not be affordable or justifiable to many patients who would ideally like to consider the procedure.
This is precisely why traveling abroad for breast augmentation surgery is becoming such a popular alternative. There are many options, but it is important that you have specialist medical travel insurance in place to cover you should something unfortunate or unexpected occur.
Below we provide some background on what you might need to consider before travelling abroad for your breast augmentation surgery.
The Destination
When choosing a destination to get your surgery carried out, there are many clinics that can offer renowned surgeons and advanced medical infrastructure, although thorough research is of crucial importance.
Treatment prices in Malaysia, for example, are often much lower than in Australia, starting at around $4,000 up to around $9,000. Similar savings can be made through traveling to other popular destinations, such as Thailand, Singapore, India, South Korea and even the U.S. and Mexico.
There are clinics located in all such destinations which will offer a package to patients traveling to have their surgery performed at their facility, with some hosting you while you are abroad and others including airport pick up. Some clinics may even have a registered business headquarters in Australia already to provide clients with additional peace of mind and a smooth and convenient follow-up once you return home.
Medical Travel Insurance
When you travel you should ensure your medical travel insurance covers the purpose of your specific trip.
A single trip policy for travel insurance for cosmetic surgery abroad from Medical Travel Shield Australia will cover you for things that you would expect from standard travel insurance such as lost or stolen items, accidental illness or injury and cancellations or curtailments outside of your control. However, Medical Travel Shield Australia is also designed to provide specific additional benefits tailored for you as a patient within the same policy.
For example, your policy can cover economy return travel, accommodation and living expenses if your original treatment is medically assessed as unsuccessful and it is medically necessary to return to the same hospital/clinic within 12 months for corrective treatment.
Also, if a patient’s recovery period is longer than expected, a Medical Travel Shield Australia policy could cover a contribution towards accommodation and flights, plus a daily allowance.
Recovery Time
After your surgery, you will typically spend one night at the clinic. After this, your clinic will most likely advise you on the recommended period of recuperation. Some people choose to take a short holiday and enjoy the destination while they are there. Others may prefer to return to Australia after just a few days once they have a medical clearance to travel.
Most clinics will offer you a personal patient care coordinator, who will be there to assist you including assisting with managing the booking of your operation, to accommodation, recovery times and answering all your questions which can prove helpful to many clients.
This content is based on a variety of third-party sources and is for information purposes only and Medical Travel Shield is not recommending breast augmentation surgery, or any other surgical procedure overseas. This information is not medical advice, and for advice on your specific needs you should always consult your medical practitioner. Please consider the Policy Wording to ensure it is right for your individual circumstances. Limitations and exclusions apply.