Experts say WFH may be responsible for increasing the number of Brits left behind by low-cost cosmetic surgery overseas.
Eighty-two patients required NHS follow-up treatment last year after traveling abroad for breast work, tummy tuck and other procedures.
This was 44% more than the previous year when the pandemic first started and holidays abroad were effectively canceled for stays.
Announcing the numbers, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) is calling for number 10 to crack down on foreign surgery.
He wants ministers to implement travel insurance for anyone who chooses to travel for cosmetic procedures.
BAAPS said the growing demand for cosmetic surgery was due to the lack of local surgery available and the “attraction” of economic deals with foreign countries.
He also blamed the so-called “Zoom Boom” rebirth of the demand for aesthetic procedures driven by a greater awareness of one’s on-screen appearance.
Reality TV star Katie Price traveled to Turkey for liposuction last summer, when the government put the country on the “red list.” This meant that people could not visit “except in the most extreme circumstances”. Geordie Shore’s Chloe Ferry undergoes breast reduction surgery in Turkey in 2020
During the pandemic, surgeons noticed that more patients cited their appearance on video calls as the reason for their dissatisfaction with their bodies.
Nose and wrinkles emerged as the most common ailments caused by the ‘Dysmorphy Zoom’ phenomenon.
Experts say that video calling can distort people’s appearance and create the illusion of a wider face and nose.
Mary O’Brien, head of BAAPS, said: “Patients travel abroad primarily to cut costs.
“So they hide skills and major complications associated with less experience on patients and the NHS on their return.
‘This can be solved with compulsory travel insurance.’
He added that the cost increase will “make us reflect on a decision that could have serious, if not fatal, consequences.”
Government advisers estimate that around 63,000 Britons travel overseas for medical treatment each year.
And the practice is just “more common,” according to the National Travel Health Network and Center.
Turkish clinics even boast that breast jobs are half the price of UK ones, for at least £2,500.
Reality TV star Katie Price traveled to Turkey for liposuction last summer, when the government put the country on the “red list.”
This meant that people could not visit “except in the most extreme circumstances”.
Geordie Shore’s Chloe Ferry underwent breast reduction surgery in Turkey in 2020.
Seven of the 82 patients requiring follow-up care in 2021 were men.
Complications include life-threatening issues such as having to surgically remove dead skin tissue and being admitted to the intensive care unit for an infection, BAAPS said.
Traveling to Turkey in 2021, Angela Perkins paid £8,000 for a makeover that went horribly wrong.
The procedure has left him with a misshapen face which means he now has to pay more than £30,000 for multiple surgeries to correct his eyes, ears, cheek and neck.
“If someone had told me how much the decision to go to Turkey could cost me financially, physically and emotionally, I would never have gotten on that plane.
“The last 16 months of my life have been hell”.
Source: Daily Mail
I am Anne Johnson and I work as an author at the Fashion Vibes. My main area of expertise is beauty related news, but I also have experience in covering other types of stories like entertainment, lifestyle, and health topics. With my years of experience in writing for various publications, I have built strong relationships with many industry insiders. My passion for journalism has enabled me to stay on top of the latest trends and changes in the world of beauty.
