Consumerist
Why not permanently alter your face? People on TV do it all the time. Besides, you're a grown up, you can do whatever you want! If you're in the market for a chin tuck, an eyebrow scoot, or a face-pulling-back thing—hey, we're not the experts here—but you don't have a lot of disposable vanity cash, then head down to Argentina, which is filled with "reputable doctors who are highly skilled due to a local rage for cosmetic surgery" and where common procedures can cost a third of what they cost in the U.S. Plus, you get airlines miles.
Argentina is a cheap place to visit, even for the weak U.S. dollar, and "companies have sprung up to offer complete packages, including surgery, accommodation and tours." But be careful and do lots of research first. One official advises that you "check surgeons' certification, consult references, and communicate directly with doctors, not just via the travel agency." And, as with surgery anywhere, nothing is guaranteed—just ask this anonymous patient:
"I ended up with a hematoma in my left breast, which is hard as a rock. My right nipple is the size of a silver dollar and my left nipple is the size of a quarter," she said. "I had nice boobs to begin with. So I went from nice boobs to uneven, crazy boobs."
"Bargain nip and tuck draws tourists to South America" [Reuters]
(Photo: Brazil)
Comments
Ahh the dreaded "uneven, crazy boobs" effect. I have a tip, learn to be happy with what you are. And if you aren't...EXERCISE! Just because it is cheaper, doesn't mean it is necessary or smart.
exercise doesn't give you bigger boobs, or take away wrinkles, or add fat to your lips, or paralyze your face.
I will 10 times out of 10 say no to lipo and yes to the treadmill though.
I lost 20 pounds in 15 minutes!
@DeeJayQueue: I understand that it can't give larger breasts, or fuller lips. But it can prevent wrinkles, and give you a better looking body no matter breast size. Plus in my experience, it makes you happier overall, which is more than getting new t*ts will ever do for a woman.
Hurray! Gilliam's "Brazil"!
Completely OT, I know.
today is Unnecessary Sincerity Day, so here's the skinny -- travelling long distances by plane for plastic surgery is a bad idea. not because the price isn't right, not because of "lax medical standards," but because planes are not sterile hospital environments. surgery requires recovery, and unless you're planning on sitting for six weeks on your ass in a buenos aires hotel, then you're doing yourself a massive disservice. there's a chapter on this in alex kuczynski's surprisingly decent book on plastic surgery, "beauty junkies," about a similar fad in south africa.
Pic or it did not happen!
Brazil reference=happy day for Bay State Darren! [& the theme song stuck in my head.] I just hope they filled out a 27b-6 for copyright permission.
I used to live near the Mexican border in Texas and anyone who was thinking of getting plastic done typically went down to Mexico. Supposedly they were American doctors working down there to escape charges in the US. Totally sketch.
If this chicks boobs were already nice (according to her) why did she do this???
I have had several procedures in Buenos Aires and did not sit in a hotel room for weeks on end waiting to recover. I recovered very quickly and flew back to the USA in a couple weeks. Checked in with my Doctor in the USA for a follow up.
My Doctor there is Board Certified in the USA, training out the wazoo at prestigious European hospitals and operates in very sterile hospital environment. In fact I have found hospital standards to be much higher in Buenos Aires than in the USA. I interviewed several Doctors there before deciding on this one and have also referred several friends to her and they have also had excellent results.
And just like in the USA there are bad doctors everywhere you just need to do your homework and remember that cosmetic surgery is still SURGERY and not to be taken lightly.
@samftla: the airquotes were to denote that most fear over "lax medical standards" is fictional. i have no doubt that procedures in bs.as. are safe. but recovery is not a process well-suited to international travel.
I was watching a while back a documentary or sort of documentary, about Plastic Surgeries in South America...It is pretty shady, I guess you are not very well informed. I think I watched the report in one of the Spanish Speaking channels, I do Speak Spanish BTW.
I can picture this conversation taking place in rebate processing centers across the country.
My only complaint is that Buenos Aires is NOT in Brazil :-)
@pissy elliott: My roommate and I were having a similar discussion on this topic, as he was touting the benefits of getting elective surgeries done in Mexico, citing that you can get perfectly safe and professional medical procedures done there. It's not that I think Mexican (or Argentinian) doctors are inherently unqualified, it's the lack of legal recourse available in the unlikely event that something does go wrong.
@Spamwich: Exactly. In America, bad doctors don't last a really long time. Eventually they get barred from working on patients ever again, and the medical community is really well networked here. All of the medical schools here have to be certified, as do all the hospitals. In places like Mexico or Argentina, a good medical education can be had and thus good medical care can be found too. It's simply much more of a gamble than it is here.
@Spamwich: It is understandable your point. There are great Plastic surgeons everywhere.
But, my point is (even thou I am not part of your discussion), many unscrupulous people take advantage of foreign patients and some people will even die or have a bad surgery caused by this, just to pay a few dollars. One of my friends is from Chile, she says that in here (USA) is less expensive to have a rhinoplasty than in her native country.
I'm surprised doctors in the US will agree to touch someone who went overseas for surgery. It's a malpractice nightmare waiting to happen because if you have complications from surgery you're going after the American doctor as he/she is the one with coverage.
@spamwich: You are absolutely correct. And while a facelift was never in my future, I'm definitely not going to take a pleasure cruise to Managua to do it, either.
why pay? i know people here in the u.s. that will re-arrange your face for free.
....that reminds me of the guy who bid on an ass whooping on ebay and won. no joke, the auction winner paid to fly this dude out to his house, and as described in the auction, got his butt kicked!
I got my teeth whitened in BsAs. Cost under $50. I know, not exactly surgery.
There was an excellent article on NPR a few months back about people going to Thailand for surgery. Examples of US doctors quick to criticize other hospitals, but when they visited the hospitals are nicer than the US, AND the doctors pay frequent visits and follow ups, much more so than here.
In any case I'd have no problem doing expat surgery, but liability is a concern in the rare case of problems.
@Spamwich: What is the name of this doctor if you don't mind me asking?
Did my LASIK in Mexico, mostly because I was there at the time. All the same, it was half the price of all the cheap, radio advertised, promotional offers we get here or across the river (Canada, eh).
In the Lebanon, a bank issues loans to do plastic surgery. Indeed, the country has one of the biggest incidences of plastic surgery in the world. I don't see mass casualties in Lebanon as a result of plastic surgery mishaps.
I pity the people who think plastic surgery will make them more attractive. These people must have much deeper problems than their looks.
Using it to fix a birth defect, medical problem or accident (like fire) seems the only reason that plastic surgery should even exist.
where o where did that picture come from? i swear i will never get unnecessary plastic surgery, no matter how ugly i become, if someone tells me where that pic is from
@rawsteak: The movie "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam [imdb.com]
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