In 2023, approximately 1.8 million people travelled to Türkiye (the official spelling of ‘Turkey’) as health tourists, an increase of over 157% on 2019.1 This boom in medical tourism, particularly to Türkiye, is visible across mainstream and social media: a quick search for ‘Turkey teeth’ yields images of smiling celebrities with perfectly white teeth, alongside hundreds of ads for ‘smile studios’ and cosmetic dental implant clinics. For people looking for that celebrity smile at a purse-friendly price, this may seem like the perfect option: beautiful results at a fraction of the cost, against the stunning backdrop of a holiday destination. What’s not to love? But behind the smiles lies a troubling truth.
“Inflation has made our prices very attractive for patients across Europe,” explains Professor Cenk Demirdöver, Secretary General of ESPRAS (the European Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) and immediate past President of the Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. “Many people, motivated mostly by cost and the promise of a holiday, will fly a few hours for surgery.” But that’s where, for many, the benefits end. Stories of agencies mis-selling surgery by promising an eminent plastic surgeon not even on their books scuppers the most scrupulous of researchers. Others find themselves in the hands of non-plastic surgeons falsely claiming to be plastic surgeons; foreign surgeons operating without a working permit in Türkiye. Or inexperienced, newly qualified surgeons forced, by agency contract, to perform multiple procedures a day, such as tummy tuck, liposuction, and breast surgery, six days a week, whilst the agency syphons off most of the money. These agencies often make much more money than they pay the surgeon. “Agencies are driving the boom,” warns Professor Demirdöver, “but often at the cost of safety.”
The key is in checking that your surgeon is board-certified, and confirming their identity by requesting a consultation with the surgeon who will do your procedure before you commit. Using websites like the Turkish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons ‘Find Your Plastic Surgeon’ tool will ensure your surgeon is board-certified and officially registered with the society.2 There are some clinics offering a high quality of medical service with exceptional care and management from start to finish. But unfortunately, there are others which prioritise profit over patient safety and experience, including trying to cut hotel costs by meeting patients at the airport, taking them straight to the theatre, and discharging them early to save on accommodation. “These clinics often won’t provide any meaningful aftercare, which should ring alarm bells,” says Professor Demirdöver. “Nobody should undergo any type of surgery the same day they land, nor should they be discharged without a robust aftercare appointment. It makes me sad that unscrupulous clinics are compromising patient health and safety, sometimes with tragic consequences.”
Every ‘botched’ cosmetic surgery costs the NHS around £15,000, with some cases costing up to £100,000. The number of Britons alone needing medical treatment or corrective surgery following procedures abroad has increased by 94% over the last three years.3 In Voices, a Turkish English-language newspaper, NHS consultant Dr Rajan Uppal estimates that the cumulative annual cost to the NHS of complications after surgical tourism is around £94 million.4 Furthermore, all fatalities resulting from complications from surgery last year had surgery in Türkiye.5 Fatalities from the past few years include Kaydell Brown, a 38-year-old British mother of two, who died after a Brazilian butt lift, tummy tuck and breast surgery in Istanbul.
Turkish Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons have earned and deserve their excellent worldwide reputation. However, with unscrupulous surgeons performing procedures unsafely, that reputation is rapidly becoming tarnished. Furthermore, publications have started to appear in scientific journals, attempting to discredit the reputation of all the plastic surgeons in the country. Regulation is one thing that could change all this: safeguarding both patients, and the reputations of legitimate and highly qualified surgeons. “There is an urgent requirement for robust Europe-wide regulation,” says Professor Demirdöver, continuing, “We’ve recently signed a joint statement with other associations to guide safe medical tourism. Organisations like ESPRAS and EBOPRAS have a role to play in setting standards and educating both surgeons and patients. We not only need to protect patients but also the National Health Services from the strain this issue is placing on it.”
Ethical practice always means putting patient safety first. As Professor Demirdöver concludes: “If a price looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you focus on quality, success follows. But, if you focus on cutting prices or increasing profit, everything suffers.”
References:
2 https://plastikcerrahi.org.tr/doctor-search
5 Ibid.
6 https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/29948630/brit-mum-dies-after-brazilian-bum-lift-surgery-turkey/
