The Hidden Dangers of Going Outside the US for Plastic Surgery - March 18, 2026 -
More than half of people who travel abroad for cosmetic surgery end up needing additional medical care when they return home.Monique and Hannah discuss the hidden risks of medical tourism, from missing post-operative care and limited follow-up to the financial fallout when complications happen back in the U.S.
They also talk about why social media is driving more people to consider surgery overseas, what most people underestimate about recovery, and why researching your surgeon, your facility, and your post-op plan matters just as much as the procedure itself.
When it comes to plastic surgery, the cheapest option can quickly become the most expensive.
Links
Listen to our previous episode, Plastic Surgery Doesn’t End When the Procedure is Over https://www.ljcsc.com/blog/podcast-plastic-surgery-doesnt-end-when-the-procedure-is-over/
American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Medical Tourism for Cosmetic Surgery High Risk of Complications, High Costs for Treatment https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/medical-tourism-for-cosmetic-surgery-high-risk-of-complications-high-costs-for-treatment
American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Will economic uncertainty drive more patients overseas for plastic surgery? What to consider and how to stretch your dollar back home https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/articles/will-economic-uncertainty-drive-more-patients-overseas-for-plastic-surgery-what-to-consider-and-how-to-stretch-your-dollar-back-home
The Guardian, NHS spending up to £19k a time treating people suffering after overseas surgery, research finds https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/13/nhs-spending-up-to-19k-a-time-treating-people-suffering-after-overseas-surgery-research-finds
PubMed Central, Costs Versus Complications: Public Perspectives on International Cosmetic Surgery Tourism https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11298143/
UT Southwestern Medical Center, Risks to consider before getting plastic surgery abroad https://utswmed.org/medblog/plastic-surgery-medical-tourism/
Learn more about patient safety https://www.ljcsc.com/your-dream-starts-here/your-safety/
Learn from the talented plastic surgeons inside La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre, the 12x winner of the San Diego’s Best Union-Tribune Readers Poll, global winner of the 2020 MyFaceMyBody Best Cosmetic/Plastic Surgery Practice, and the 2025 winner of Best Cosmetic Surgery Group in San Diego Magazine’s Best of San Diego Awards.
Join hostess Monique Ramsey as she takes you inside LJCSC, where dreams become real. Featuring the unique expertise of San Diego’s most loved plastic surgeons, this podcast covers the latest trends in aesthetic surgery, including breast augmentation, breast implant removal, tummy tuck, mommy makeover, labiaplasty, facelifts and rhinoplasty.
La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway at 9850 Genesee Ave, Suite 130 in the Ximed building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus.
To learn more, go to https://www.ljcsc.com/ or follow the team on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ljcsc/
Watch the LJCSC Dream Team on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@LaJollaCosmeticSurgeryCentre/
The La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Podcast is a production of The Axis: https://www.theaxis.io/
Theme music: Busy People, SOOP
00:00 Is surgery abroad really cheaper?
00:57 How overseas surgical care differs from the US
01:59 Flying home too soon and lack of follow‑up
03:43 When “cheap” surgery ends up costing more
04:42 Real complication stats from medical tourism
07:17 Why revision after tourism is so difficult
08:43 Studies on why people still go abroad
12:22 Influencers glamorizing surgery vacations
13:45 Travel and “hidden” costs that erase savings
17:14 Why tummy tucks are especially risky overseas
19:14 Blood clots, long flights, and embolism risk
21:19 How stress and poor support slow healing
22:47 Missing lymphatic massage and aftercare abroad
23:45 Deaths and anesthesia concerns in tourism hubs
26:27 US surgeons treating tourism complications
30:35 Questions to ask before booking surgery overseas
