2 days ago
Want to Get a Facelift Abroad? You Might Need a Plastic Surgery Broker
Those on their facelift journey are now at a crossroads. With everyone's social feeds flooded with seemingly perfect results from international surgeons (Guadalajara facelift TikTok is just one of the many tempting reasons to book a trip to Mexico), many are asking themselves if they would go to another country for a procedure at half the cost and possibly better results.
Medical tourism only continues to rise. According to a report done by Fortune Business Insights, the global medical tourism market is projected to grow from its current worth of $38.2 billion to $162.8 billion by 2032. Studies show that cosmetic and dental surgeries in countries such as Mexico, Thailand, and Hungary cost a fraction (anywhere from 25% to 50% to be exact) of what those same procedures might cost here in the US. But patients aren't letting costs be the only factor driving their decisions to seek help outside the States. They're letting incredible results pique their interests as well. 'Clients today are far more educated and outcome-focused,' Melinda Farina, founder of Beauty Brokers Inc., tells Vogue. 'They've seen global results, and they're asking for specific surgeons, not just destinations.'
Farina, whose consulting firm connects patients with its network of plastic surgeons, says that top international destinations for her clients include Turkey, Italy, Brazil, and Colombia. She explains that the quality of surgical work in the US can sometimes be disproportionate to the inflated prices of these surgeries, while surgeons abroad are delivering more nuanced and sophisticated results. 'What people don't realize is that these international surgeons aren't operating in 'discount' markets; many are setting new standards in technique and outcome,' she says. 'Some of the most sophisticated work in facial and body aesthetics is happening outside the US, and our clients know it.'
The impulsive answer would be, 'Hell yes, let's go abroad for a facelift.' But after the initial high wears off and you get down to the logistics, you'll realize that you have the extra homework of researching if a surgeon in another country is the right fit. This is where a plastic surgery broker may come in handy.
How does hiring a plastic surgery broker work?
According to Joshua Rosenberg, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon at Mount Sinai, there are a few different kinds of plastic surgery brokers. You can turn to commercial platforms that charge patients for access to their network of vetted surgeons. There are brokers who are employed by health systems or embassies that assist patients with medical care abroad. Then there are the private plastic surgery brokers that typically work on a fee basis, charging patients and/or plastic surgeons for their services as a middleman.
