High: major surgery
One
At least 7 days
Plan it before you go
Not medical advice. Whether this treatment is right for you is a decision to take with a doctor or dentist who has examined you. Talk to your own doctor before you book.
What it is
Cosmetic surgery changes how you look rather than treating an illness. It can cost less abroad than at home, but the NHS asks you to weigh the savings against the risks: safety standards may not be as high, and overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or not to the same standard.
The most common procedures people travel for are tummy tucks, breast surgery, liposuction and nose surgery, and, more and more, the Brazilian butt lift, which NHS England warns about.
| Type | What it means |
|---|---|
| Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) | Removes skin and fat from the abdomen and tightens the muscles. The NHS advises not flying for 7 to 10 days after it. |
| Breast surgery | Enlargement, reduction or lift. The NHS advises not flying for 5 to 7 days after it. |
| Liposuction | Removes fat with a suction tube. The NHS advises not flying for 5 to 7 days after it. |
| Nose and facial surgery | Rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, facelift. The NHS advises not flying for 7 to 10 days after facial procedures. |
| Brazilian butt lift (BBL) | Fat taken by liposuction is injected into the buttocks. It has the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures, as the fat can reach the lungs (pulmonary embolism); the UK aesthetic surgeons' association has advised its members not to carry it out. |
Before you book
- Have a consultation with the surgeon who will operate, not only with salespeople. The NHS advises two consultations before any surgery, which gives you a cooling-off period (normally two weeks in the UK).
- Do not pay for a hospital you have never seen, or to see a surgeon you have not met.
- Plan to rest after the operation: the NHS says a holiday straight after surgery is unrealistic and increases the risk of things going wrong (no alcohol, sun, sightseeing or swimming).
- Take someone with you: you will need their support if things go wrong (Smartraveller, Australia). After a general anaesthetic, the NHS advises having someone stay with you for at least 24 hours.
Who it is for
- The surgeon should make sure you understand what the procedure involves, its limitations, the alternatives, and the risks and complications, and be able to show before and after pictures of their work (NHS).
- Tell the surgeon and the anaesthetist about every health condition and every medicine you take.
Recovery and travel
Usually under general anaesthetic: the effects can last around 24 hours.
No alcohol, sun, sightseeing or swimming while you recover (NHS).
The NHS advises not flying for 5 to 7 days after these procedures.
The NHS advises not flying for 7 to 10 days after these procedures: air travel and major surgery both raise the risk of a blood clot, which can be life threatening.
Flying home: The NHS advises not flying for 5 to 7 days after breast surgery or liposuction and for 7 to 10 days after facial procedures or a tummy tuck. The planner uses 7 days: ask your surgeon for your own operation.
Trips: One trip, but plan how you would go back if you need more surgery, and how much that would cost.
Put these steps on your own dates
Risks
Blood clots
Air travel and major surgery both increase the risk of a blood clot, which can be life threatening.
Death after a Brazilian butt lift
Fat injected into the buttocks can lead to a pulmonary embolism, a blockage in a blood vessel in the lungs that can be fatal. Other serious side effects include cellulitis (a skin infection) and lumpy scars.
No follow-up
Overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or not to the same standard, and may have no professional at home you can go to.
Too much at once
UK surgeons warn about the number of procedures combined in one sitting and about a different procedure being performed from the one expected.
Red flags
- A 'consultation' only with salespeople or a coordinator.
- Discounts, all-inclusive packages with hotel and flights, or finance deals pushed through social media (NHS England warns about 'bargain-basement' BBL deals).
- Several procedures combined in one sitting to lower the price.
- A package that flies you home before the days health services advise.
Questions to ask the clinic
- Who is the surgeon, what training and qualifications do they have, which organisations do they belong to, and how many of these operations have they done?
- Does the surgeon speak a language I understand well enough to explain the procedure and my risks?
- When are my two consultations, and how long between them and the operation?
- What happens if there are complications, where is the follow-up, and who pays if I need more surgery?
- What insurance does the clinic or the surgeon have, and does it cover me?
Ask for the answers in writing. A clinic that will not name the person who treats you has answered the first question.
Where to check the clinic
Each country has its own registers of doctors, dentists and clinics. Pick the destination:
The checks that apply everywhere
- Talk to your doctor or dentist at home first. They know your history, can tell you whether you need the treatment at all, and you will rely on them afterwards.
- Consult the person who will treat you, not a salesperson. Video calls do not replace an examination, and a cooling-off period between consultation and surgery protects you.
- Check the doctor's or dentist's registration yourself. Qualifications should be verified independently, not taken from the clinic's website.
- Check the clinic's licence. Clinics need an authorisation from the health authority; in some countries a separate one for international patients.
- Look for accreditation, but do not rely on it alone. International accreditation bodies list accredited facilities abroad, but accreditation does not guarantee a good outcome.
- Get a written plan, quote and contract. A treatment plan and a price should follow an examination by a qualified professional, and a written contract tells you what you can claim.
- Know what the price includes. Follow-up care can carry substantial extra fees, and revisions after a complication add to the cost.
- Arrange your aftercare at home before you go. Follow-up care might not be easily available at home and may not be covered by your health system.
- Get insurance that covers the treatment. Standard travel insurance does not normally cover elective surgery abroad, and an air ambulance home is very expensive.
- Plan enough days before flying home. Surgery and air travel each raise the risk of blood clots.
- Bring your records home, in English. Doctors at home need to know exactly what was done, with which materials and medicines.
- Be careful with agents and holiday packages. Private companies have a financial interest in booking your treatment; the UK government advises caution with websites selling surgery as part of a holiday.
Once you are home
- Before you book, find out what happens if there are complications, where the follow-up appointments will be, what happens if you need more surgery and how easily you could travel back, and how much it would cost (NHS).
- Check what insurance the clinic or surgeon has and whether it covers you, and what your travel insurance covers: it normally does not cover things going wrong in surgery.
What your health system covers after private treatment abroad depends on where you live:
🇬🇧 If you live in United Kingdom
The NHS does not pay for private treatment you choose abroad, and your EHIC or GHIC does not cover planned treatment. Standard travel insurance does not normally cover you if you travelled for elective surgery: you may need specialist cover.
The NHS is not liable for negligence or failure of treatment abroad, and the Foreign Office cannot usually help: planned treatment is treated as a commercial arrangement. Plan your aftercare and how records will be shared before you go.
🇮🇪 If you live in Ireland
The HSE Cross Border Directive scheme only refunds planned care in another EU or EEA country that is publicly funded in Ireland, with a referral, up to what it would cost in the Irish public system; travel and accommodation are not refunded. So cosmetic treatments and hair transplants, which are not publicly funded in Ireland, are outside it.
Ask your GP before you go how follow-up would work once you are home, and check whether your travel insurance covers planned treatment and its complications: many policies exclude it.
🇫🇷 If you live in France
Purely aesthetic procedures are not reimbursed by the Assurance Maladie, in France or abroad, and neither is the follow-up care of such an operation. Planned care abroad is only reimbursed when it is reimbursable in France, sometimes with prior authorisation.
If a complication occurs, the care it needs is medical and is covered normally. A result you are unhappy with is not a complication: corrective work is at your cost.
🇺🇸 If you live in United States
Check whether your health plan covers anything abroad: most do not cover planned treatment, and Original Medicare generally does not pay for care outside the United States, with limited exceptions. Consider supplemental cover, including medical evacuation.
Seek care promptly if a complication develops, during travel or after you return, and bring your overseas records in English. Legal recourse abroad may be more limited than in the United States.
🇦🇺 If you live in Australia
Medicare doesn't cover you when you're overseas, reciprocal health care agreements only cover some situations, and basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism: get a specialised policy for your procedure, its complications and medical evacuation, and tell your insurers everything.
You, your family or your insurer pay for further care or an evacuation. Consular staff can contact your family and give lists of English-speaking hospitals and lawyers, but cannot pay bills or recommend surgeons. Smartraveller advises taking someone with you.
🇳🇿 If you live in New Zealand
Make sure your travel insurance covers complications and medical evacuation, and talk to your health practitioner in New Zealand about the procedure and its risks before you go.
Get copies of your surgical details before you leave: problems can appear once you are home, and your practitioner in New Zealand will need them. Check with a health practitioner before flying after surgery.
🇸🇦 If you live in Saudi Arabia
The Ministry of Health sends patients abroad at its expense only by royal order or by a decision of the High Medical Committee approved by the minister. Planned treatment you choose yourself, such as cosmetic surgery, is private and at your own cost.
For patients the ministry refers abroad, the Saudi health attaché in the country of treatment arranges the appointment and follows the patient; private patients are on their own. Talk to your doctor in Saudi Arabia before you go and bring your records home.
Sources
- NHS: Cosmetic surgery abroad nhs.uk · checked 25 Oct 2026
- NHS England: NHS warns of 'bargain basement' BBLs (21 Dec 2024) england.nhs.uk · checked 25 Oct 2026
- NHS: General anaesthetic nhs.uk · checked 25 Oct 2026
- BAAPS and BOMSS joint statement on surgical tourism (20 April 2023) baaps.org.uk · checked 25 Oct 2026
- Smartraveller (Australia): medical tourism smartraveller.gov.au · checked 25 Oct 2026
- CDC Yellow Book: Medical tourism cdc.gov · checked 25 Oct 2026
Next review due 25 Apr 2027. Found something wrong or out of date? Tell us via the contact address.