You may choose to travel for your cosmetic surgery for a few reasons. Perhaps you saw a surgeon's work on social media and liked the style and aesthetic of cosmetic surgery. Maybe you reside in a smaller town and there are no plastic surgeons close to you. Or maybe your friend highly recommends a cosmetic surgeon who's outside of your home state. Whatever the reason, it's quite common to travel across cities (and across states) for cosmetic procedures. Some surgeons report that up to 30% of their patients may be from out of state.
The most commonly traveled-for procedures are rhinoplasty, Brazilian butt lift, and revision surgery.
The first step for any surgical procedure is to find a qualified cosmetic surgeon who performs your intended procedure. Location comes secondary! You can check the prospective surgeon's qualifications online and look at before/after photos to see if the surgeon is a good match for the results you desire. Once you've narrowed down your search, you can schedule a consultation with the surgeon to meet in person (or over Skype, if possible). The consultation is your opportunity to ask your questions, get to know the surgeon, and discuss options to achieve your goal. If you're unsure about how to prepare for your consultation, check out this article.
Cosmetic Surgery Grants partners with board-certified plastic surgeons so you can be sure you're in excellent hands.
Traveling for cosmetic surgery comes with a few extra hurdles. You have to ensure you'll have a comfortable place to recover after the procedure. You also need to determine if you'll need a care-taker for the first few nights of recovery. And you need to be prepared to stay in town for the first follow up.
Be sure to ask your surgeon the recommended length of stay as some doctors have a no-tolerance policy for patients who are unwilling or unable to stay for their post-op check. Most surgeons will want you to arrive two to three days prior to your surgery date for a pre-op examination. As for the post-op stay, the length can vary from 7 to 14 days. At this visit, the surgeon will assess healing and remove any non-absorbable sutures. Procedures such as facelifts, breast reductions, tummy tucks, and Brazilian butt lifts require a longer stay (10 to 14 days). Whereas rhinoplasties, blepharoplasties, and liposuction necessitate around a week-long stay.
If you are traveling for your cosmetic surgery, you can ask your surgeon for a list of recommended hotels (at varying price points) and options for post-op nursing care. Some practices maintain their own private hotel and offer around-the-clock care for the first night or two after surgery. If you can’t afford to go that route or would rather not hire a nurse, your surgeon will require that a relative or friend accompany you for the surgery and stay with you for at least the first night of recovery. Ask your surgeon who you should contact if complications arise during recovery while you're in town and when you are back at home. Once you are back at home, most follow-ups can be done virtually, assuming you’re not experiencing complications and you’re happy with your results. Your surgeon will typically want to follow up at six weeks, six months and one-year post-op.
Your journey back home after a cosmetic surgery procedure can be complicated as well. It's important to move around frequently after surgery to minimize the risk of blood clots. Blood-thinning medications, like Aspirin, are off-limits after a surgical procedure. Additionally, sitting in a cramped airplane or in a bumpy car ride can be uncomfortable on healing incisions. Consider these factors when planning the length of your stay after the procedure.
If you're traveling out-of-state for your cosmetic surgery procedure, be sure to conduct your research thoroughly and follow all your surgeon's instructions.
A Cosmetic Surgery Grant can help to cover up to $2000 on your cosmetic surgery procedure. Apply online today and find out if you are eligible for a Grant.