Medical Tourism in the Philippines Becomes Easier

Probably one of the biggest news items relating to medical tourism is the introduction of medical tourism visas in the Philippines. This can be expected to come into place some point this year, and is very important as it will help to make the Philippines even more competitive as a destination for Health-Care.

This change will allow foreigners to stay in the country for up to six months for medical treatment. At the present, and initial visa is offered for either 21 days or two months, which has to be extended monthly, as required.

Traditionally, in that part of the world, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan have been the major players in medical travel.

However, with the new steps to make it easier to stay in the Philippines for lengthy treatments, it is probably safe to assume that the Philippines will be increasing their share of this lucrative market.

Obviously of less relevance to those traveling for cheap cosmetic surgery abroad, this will non-the-less be extremely useful for anyone considering going abroad for more extensive and long-term treatments.

Already 50% cheaper than most Western countries, and with its pick of highly skilled surgeons and medical professionals, the Philippines will be one to watch over the next few years. We wonder how many other countries in the vicinity will now follow suit?

The Top 10 Cosmetic Surgeries for 2011 - A Prediction

As we get ready to see in the New Year, what will the trends for Cosmetic Surgery be in 2011?

Dr Scott E. Newman, a prominent New York surgeon, thinks he has got the answers, based on recent trends and statistics.

1. Breast Augmentation. This procedure has been the most popular for many years, and shows no signs of fading in popularity. No surprise here! The popularity of this procedure with celebrities should mean its top-place is assured for years to come.
   
2. Augmentation with Fat Transfer. This is increasing in popularity extremely quickly. Great advances are being made with this technique, although at present it is more popular with patients than with surgeons. The idea of Natural Breast Augmentation is immensely appealing to many, and this technique is also used with the Brazilian Butt Lift procedure. I am sure that in time new applications will be found for this technique.
   
3. Liposuction. Liposuction is likely to remain a popular procedure, as the obesity crisis in the West is showing no evidence of slowing down. In fact, in the UK, now 50% of men and women are clinically overweight or obese. With new ways of performing liposuction, such as Vaser Liposuction, constantly being developed, there is no way that liposuction will lose its popularity unless a completely new way of removing fat from the body is introduced.
   
4. Breast Lift Surgery. Women have always obsessed about sagging breasts after childbirth, so this procedure will surely always be popular. New advances with this surgery mean that it is now possible to perform with less scarring, and with longer lasting results.
5. Tummy Tuck. Also known as Abdominoplasty. Again, as with liposuction, the increasing food intake, and progressively more sedentary lifestyles mean that in all probability this will remain a popular procedure.
6. Buttock Lift. The butt lift procedure has really become very fashionable, and many celebrities have admitted to having it done. The Buttock Lift has really come out of nowhere, as only a few short years ago, most people had not even heard of it.
7. Breast Reconstruction. Reconstruction of the breasts following mastectomy will sadly continue to be a necessity for many female patients. New techniques are making the results better aesthetically, and faster to achieve.
8. Arm Lift Surgery. Arm Lift Surgery, or Brachioplasty is becoming more widely known, and can be expected to become more so. This is the cosmetic procedure, whereby excess, sagging skin is removed from the arms, to remove that effect sometimes known as "bingo wings".
9. Gynecomastia Surgery. The removal of male breasts has become a preoccupation with many men, in our increasingly appearance-conscious culture. Expect this to increase over the next 12 months.
10. Breast Reduction. Many women have always suffered from back pain from large breasts, but general increases in the weight-problems do not help. So it's probable that breast reduction surgery will continue to be very popular as a way to solve this problem.

A couple of extra predictions:

Botox will certainly continue to be the number 1 cosmetic procedure. It really has reached such a level of acceptability, and has so many different applications, that this is extremely unlikely to change.

Laser Hair Removal will keep its place as the second most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure. It is a solution for an age-old problem, and is still far superior to any of the alternatives.

A slow but steady increase in the number of people traveling abroad for cosmetic surgery can be expected, as the idea slowly gains acceptance with the general public.

Here's wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

A Word of Warning About Arranging Surgery with a Referral Service

Cosmetic Surgery Referral Services are becoming increasingly popular, with many prospective patients using these kinds of services to do the "leg-work", from making sure the clinic is reputable and the surgeon is skilled and accredited, to helping to find the best prices for cosmetic surgery.

Doing this does definitely have its benefits, but a few words of caution...

You will still need to make sure that the referral service itself is reputable. There are several agencies that are seemingly unconcerned about the services that the clinics that they refer patients to are of the highest quality. This can understandably lead the patient to go into surgery with a false belief that their clinic is going to be of a high standard, with an accredited and experienced surgeon. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

The kind of referral service that I would advise all prospective patients to steer well clear of are those which ask for an upfront referral fee. Unfortunately, these are the kinds of agencies that are most heavily-promoted on the internet, as webmasters will get a good commission for placing adverts for these types of services on their websites.

The smart cosmetic surgery patient should avoid paying any upfront fees. It can, in effect, commit you to using the services that the referral company has recommended to you, as the patient is unlikely to want to lose such a large sum of money, with nothing to show for it.

I suspect that is what these kinds of offers are counting on!

If a patient would like to research several of these kinds of companies offerings, then they will have committed to hundreds of dollars-worth of expenditure before the actual cosmetic surgery fees. I'm sure that there are some reputable companies offering this kind of service, but I am equally sure that there are plenty of dodgy ones, as well.

For this reason, I would recommend anyone considering cosmetic surgery to research a little further, before committing to any referral fees.

Also, if you have paid a cosmetic surgery referral fee, but are having doubts about the level of service the company offers, it will be far better for you to back-out, and just lose the money than to risk your health. You may be able to pursue the company through the courts, if it appears that the agency was insufficiently transparent.

For more advice and information like this, visit Cheaper Cosmetic Surgery Abroad.com

The Advantages of Arranging Cosmetic Surgery Using a Referral Agency

Whether you are planning to get cosmetic surgery abroad or in your home country, there are a number of benefits to using a medical tourism referral agency. I would say that, at the very least, it is well worth your consideration, especially if any of the following issues are of concern to you:

• The Price of Cosmetic Surgery - you would like to be able to compare the costs between clinics.

• Your Personal Safety - You would like to avoid unnecessary risk of complications.

• Making Sure that you Get First Class Results From Your Surgery - it's a given that not all surgeons are equal. If you would like to make sure that yours has the necessary expertise, then you may like to consider a referral service, who has already checked out the best clinics.

If you are interested in getting the most out of your money, then one of the major advantages of using a cosmetic surgery referral service is that they can help you track down the best deals. It is a fact that plastic surgery prices do vary quite considerably, from clinic-to-clinic, state-to-state, and especially from country-to-country.

It is quite possible to compare prices for cosmetic surgery at different clinics, however, this is a somewhat time-consuming affair. Plus, you should remember that until you have had a proper consultation with a surgeon, the price quote will generally be just an estimate.

The second benefit of using a referral service is that you will not be needing to research the qualifications of the operating surgeon. Knowing that your cosmetic surgeon is reputable and skilled is a MUST. Although things can go wrong with even the best cosmetic surgeons, you must be aware that the chances are multiplied countless times, if your surgeon is not skilled and accredited by a proper official body. Naturally, you could check out the clinics you are considering, all by yourself, and that is how quite a few patients arrange surgery, but a company with several years of dealings with different clinics will be able to have a much more informed idea of which clinics are the best and most reputable.

The third reason that so many patient do find a substantial benefit in arranging their surgery with a referral agency is that when getting cosmetic surgery there is always a risk that the operation may not turn out as you hoped. By this, I am not talking about the life-threatening types of complications, but more that if the surgeon is not skilled enough, then there is a high chance that you will be less happy with your appearance than you were before surgery.

We have all seen the "plastic surgery gone wrong" photos that are all over the internet. Lumpy-looking boob-jobs, oddly-reshaped noses, and terrible scarring after liposuction.

If you are concerned that the results of your surgery should be an improvement on the natural you, then you do need to be very careful to make sure that your surgeon is skilled and experienced, not only in plastic surgery in a general sense, but also in the specific procedure that you are having. There are a great many different disciplines within cosmetic surgery, and just as you would not get a hip replacement with a heart specialist, so your cosmetic surgeon will need to have received training in each particular area.

Cosmetic Surgery Referral Services can help you to arrange surgery with confidence, and so unless you are able to promise yourself that you will properly and thoroughly research your options yourself, this is definitely the route I would suggest.

A visit t0 Cheaper Cosmetic Surgery Abroad.com can help you to weigh up the options available, and can even point you in the direction of a couple of decent referral agencies.

Another Tragic Plastic Surgery Accident

I haven't posted recently as I've been busy on other things, but one recent news story needed to be drawn attention to.

I'm referring to the tragic death of Wang Bei, the popular star of the extremely successful Chinese talent show Super Girl.

Wang Bei had an incredible talent, and was a natural beauty, which makes it all the more surprising that she should have felt the need to resort to plastic surgery, especially at the young age of 24. The procedure she was undergoing was chin reduction surgery, intended to make her jaw-line more narrow. Even the harshest critic would not have been able to tell her was necessary.

The operating surgeon cut through a blood vessel, and the blood-flow could not be stopped, filling her lungs.

The medical facility where this occurred is quite legal and above board, illustrating the need for greater supervision of such practices, and also the need for there to be more checks on the expertise of surgeons. All to often, surgeons are able to perform operations that they are simply not skilled or experienced enough to perform. This is a problem in all countries, and it is one that the industry itself need to address.

Otherwise, this is the result. Young, promising lives, such as Wang Bei's, being prematurely ended. I appeal for anyone opting for cosmetic surgery to do thorough research on both the clinic and the surgeon who will operate. Ask for photos of previous customers, ask for certificates of training and accreditation. Don't allow yourself to become a statistic.

Is it really more risky to get plastic surgery abroad?

The media often describes the dangers of plastic surgery abroad, illustrated with shocking cases from overseas cosmetic surgery clinics. It is positive that these incidents are reported to the public, but does it mean that there is a danger of prospective patients starting to assume that the more expensive clinics in the UK will automatically be safer, more reputable and more competent? If so, then the following report about the real standards in UK clinics ought to be a real eye-opener!

With great regularity, the media goes into overdrive about botched cosmetic surgery in foreign countries. While it is quite right that the shoddy workmanship of poor surgeons at mediocre clinics abroad should be highlighted, it is important to retain a sense of balance, and realise that the same things can, and do, go wrong in British clinics.

The problem is that the media that are reporting the dangers of overseas surgery are all too often dependent on advertising revenue from the domestic cosmetic clinics. God Bless the BBC, then, for publishing a report by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death, showing just how far from ideal British clinics often are. (The BBC is, as we know, one of the few major corporations in the media that are mostly independent from private business and advertising, which is why they have been able to publish.)

One fundamental weakness was identified, that in many ways is the cause of many of the other failings. Out of all the cosmetic surgeons practicing in Britain, only a third of them are members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. It is clear that legislation and tougher regulation is needed.
For instance, it is recommended that a cosmetic clinic performs a set minimum number of a specific given operation per year. The reasoning behind this is that without practice, it is less likely that surgeon will be able to keep their skills up, which is really just common sense. An airplane pilot is not able to retain his license to fly without a certain number of flights per year, for the same reasons.

In the instance of plastic surgery, a minimum of twenty operations per year is recommended; however, the reality is that a great proportion of British clinics perform far less than this set level, yet still feeling confident to undertake surgeries that they rarely perform. Just one-tenth of the 361 sites reviewed managed to perform this number of ear pinning surgeries, while only 20% managed to reach this number of breast reductions. One quarter of the sample of clinics performed a sufficient number of facelift operations.

The results show that a large number of cosmetic surgery procedures in this country are being performed by surgeons of insufficient experience. In fact, what is being highlighted is more of a “have a go” mentality, rather than the experience and professionalism you would expect.

This was not where the criticisms ended. Just one third of the clinics, who have not been named, bothered to carry out any kind of psychological evaluation of the patients.


And while it a two-stage consent process is in place, to allow patients to properly consider their surgery options, less than a third of clinics manage to follow this recommendation.

More than half of all the clinics were insufficiently equipped, and one in five had no emergency readmission policy in place. Monitoring of patients before and after surgery was also found to be lacking.

It should not necessarily be inferred from this report that British Cosmetic Surgery Clinics are more or less dangerous than overseas ones. More, the prospective patient should use the results of this information to understand that in any country there may be superb clinics and also ones of a lower standard. The patient must make sure that the clinic they are considering does follow industry regulations and guidelines, and particularly that the surgeon who will be operating on them has sufficient experience. What the report does illustrate is that just because the prices are higher in the UK than those for cosmetic surgery abroad does not necessarily mean that the quality of surgery can be expected to be better.

Will I Benefit From Chin Augmentation Surgery?

Chin Augmentation Surgery is becoming an increasingly popular procedure, for both men and women. Find out more...

What does Chin Augmentation do for the patient?

Chin augmentation, also referred to as mentoplasty, is generally performed so as to create a more defined chin profile and distinct jaw line. This will often dramatically improve a weak chin or sometimes a rounded face and neck. Chin augmentation might also improve the contours of the face and also achieving a harmony to the face by making the chin more in proportion to the rest of the facial elements.

Chin Implant surgery is in many cases performed in conjunction with further procedures, such as face lift surgery or cheek implants. It is especially often used in combination with nose job surgery, as an adequately sized chin will be able to balance out the strength of the nose.

The procedure, which is generally safe to perform upon people as young as 17 or 18, can help to make a moderate improvement in the way you will look from the front; nevertheless as in elective nose surgery, it is primarily intended to enhance the profile.

Chin enhancement using implants often is the surgical procedure of choice for a great number of patients with normally functioning tooth and jaw development. Nevertheless, there is a specialized operation referred to as a sliding genioplasty.

How does the chin augmentation procedure work?

Chin augmentation using implants should be a relatively simple, straightforward medical procedure. The operation is carried out by making a small incision either within the mouth where the lower lip joins the teeth (the preferable site), or from the small crease line below the chin. A small pocket is fashioned precisely over the bone exactly the same scale of the implant so as to stop shifting or implant movement.

A biocompatible implant is then placed on top of the bone structure of the lower jaw, beneath the skin. This implant can be manufactured out of a new manufactured material such as gore-tex, or it could possibly be built from donated bone from the patient. Both synthetic and organic materials have their own particular positive factors and problems. For illustration, the implant put together from donated bone holds a significantly decreased risk of rejection, but a greater possibility of being infected.

When precisely inserted in the pocket, the incision will be closed with sutures which usually can be taken out in about five days, or if the implant was inserted from in the oral cavity, the stitches should be dissolvable ones that will not require removal.

How long will it take to recover from chin augmentation surgery?

Chin augmentation surgery normally requires an overnight hospital stay, but recently there are types of chin augmentation that might not necessitate any recovery time, such as enlargement using facial filler injections.

Generally, you can expect some swelling and bruising, and a degree of pain, which will be controlled using painkillers.

What are the risks?

There are undoubtedly risk factors entailed just like each surgery treatment. Infection can be one of these hazards, and although it can typically be managed with anti-biotics, if an infection will not clear up, the implant will probably need to be taken out and put in at a later date.

A different possible risk can be implant shifting. This will be able to arise should it be the pocket created for the implant is too large, and also in cases where the place where the implant was put is disturbed before the implant has settled into place sufficiently.

To successfully minimise risks, it is very important to get your plastic surgery with the highest quality clinic that your budget can allow for.

How much will it cost me for chin augmentation surgery?

Chin implant price ranges can be expected to fluctuate with each aesthetic surgeon, together with the region where you are living, and with the specific procedure you desire. You ought to be conscious that quotations for chin implant surgery will normally be somewhat general, and inclined to change, until you have received a proper consultation with an aesthetic surgeon. Alternatively, it will be possible for you to take advantage of decreased prices by going to foreign countries for surgery. Learn more about cheaper cosmetic surgery abroad...

This is in fact an alternative which has great appeal to a wide range of patients, and it is worth looking at so long as you are able to research the center where you are contemplating getting your cosmetic treatments.