Beware ‘sun, sea and surgery’ cosmetic tourism packages, experts advise

British College of Aesthetic Medicine launches checklist as part of ‘vet it before you get it’ campaign

Cosmetic tourism is often sold as a package of sun, sea and surgery, but experts have said travelling overseas for procedures can end in infections, disfigurement and death.

Nora Nugent, a consultant plastic surgeon and former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said travelling to countries such as Turkey for surgery came with myriad risks – and not just on the operating table.

“Actually, the risks start from the moment you step on the plane to after you return home, and until you’re fully healed and you’re out of the clotting risk time,” she said, noting that travel itself could increase the risks of clots.