The growth of cosmetic and plastic surgery has become a major business for India and Pakistan. Offering cosmetic procedures at a fraction of the cost compared to the UK whilst still maintaining very high standards.
Many Brit-Asian people from the UK are having plastic surgery done whilst visiting these countries for social reasons such as family weddings or holidays. Medical tourism is growing in these countries with the demand for cosmetic surgery hugely booming. From nose jobs to liposuction Asians are getting it all done more cheaply and jumping waiting lists they have to endure in the UK for the same procedures.
India offers some of the best medical treatment in the world and has an excellent reputation for its private hospitals. India’s health care sector has experienced an enormous boom in recent years and it has become a global health destination, with medical tourism growing by 30 per cent each year.
A person can have cosmetic surgery in India for usually 25% or less than the cost for similar cosmetic surgical procedures in the UK.
The Independant has reported that over 10,000 Britons travel to India every year for cosmetic surgery. Many go on cosmetic surgery travel packages to India, where they have someone meet them upon arrival, assist them to get through customs, and talk in depth about the cosmetic surgery procedures and recovery process. India’s cosmetic surgery hospitals are first rate and Indian cosmetic surgeons frequently are trained in the UK and the United States, as well as being trained in India.
Similarly, large numbers of well-educated British Asian women of Pakistani origin, in their 20’s, are visiting Pakistan for cheaper nip-and-tuck operations. Many of them are venturing to their homeland for nose jobs, tummy tucks, liposuction and breast enlargements surgeons say. Mostly middle-class professional women are visiting cities like Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi during their visits to Pakistan to see plastic surgeons residing in these cities. They are taking up to ten days out of their trip to get work done on themselves which is available at a much lower price than in the UK.
Dr Abdul Hameed, the president of the Pakistani Association of Plastic Surgeons, has said that the trend is growing every year and surgeons have noticed a surge in ‘British born clients’ coming during the summer and winter holiday periods. Over 400 women visit the country for cosmetic surgery every year.
Asian men and women are more conscious about looking good than ever before. For example, if the women are expecting an arranged marriage then looks to play an important role and they are enhancing their look for their potential partners with cosmetic surgery. More and more young men too are having surgery before they get married and in many cases to help them find a perfect match.
The increase in Bollywood film stars and Sports personalities from the Asian sub-continent openly having cosmetic surgery has also added to the popularity of these treatments in India and Pakistan.
Naturally, the hype of such surgery and its economics comes with a stern caution. Warnings are given about the dangers of such surgery and UK professionals such as David Sharpe, a professor of plastic surgery at Bradford University, said he was aware of the trend, but warned against having plastic surgery abroad. “I would be confident about Pakistani surgeons who have been trained in the UK or have strong connections with training programmes here as being competent,” he said.
Professional bodies are set-up for both the interests of the surgeons and patients. The Indian Medical Association and the Pakistani Association of Plastic Surgeons look after the interests of cosmetic surgeons as well as the community in which they practice cosmetic surgery.
Therefore, when embarking on such a venture, it is important that all necessary research and checks are carried out regarding the practice or surgeons you are looking at using. For example, reputable Indian cosmetic surgery clinics encourage you to talk with them before scheduling a procedure. Therefore, you should review your Indian cosmetic surgeon’s credentials and talk with his staff before committing to travel to India for your cosmetic surgery. Indian cosmetic surgery clinics are staffed with professionals who are fluent in English so you will not need to worry about errors in translation.
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