The past few years have seen a dramatic change in the public perception of cosmetic surgery, leading to a sixty five per cent increase in demand in 2004 alone. In fact, so popular has cosmetic surgery become that it is hard to turn on the television or open a magazine without encountering stories of lives transformed as a result of work being done. Vastly improved treatments and increased social acceptance has lead to cosmetic surgery becoming a normalised practice, as viable and realistic to the housewife as it is to the Hollywood star. None of which is surprising, considering the very real and immediate benefits cosmetic surgery can bring to the patient’s appearance and self-esteem.

However, cosmetic surgery can still be beyond the budget of many, which is why there is a growing trend for people to travel to parts of the world where the standard of expertise and post-operation care is just as good as in the United Kingdom, but up to sixty percent cheaper. Such savings are made due to favorable exchange rates This is particularly significant when you consider that medical health insurance doesn’t cover the cost of elective cosmetic surgery. So now patients are choosing to enjoy holidays to exotic destinations such as Malaysia and Thailand in addition to improving their appearance.

No country is more suited to this combination than Brazil, land of sun and sea and the body beautiful, and second only to the United States in terms of the number of surgical operations performed every year. The 3500 plus members of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery are renowned for their experience and expertise, which makes sense when you consider that 80% of all plastic surgery in the United Kingdom is reconstructive, whereas 80% of all plastic surgery in Brazil is cosmetic, and that cosmetic surgery magazines clutter up the shelves in newsagents the same way that computer and golf magazines do here. The level of service in the Brazilian private health sector is extremely high, not to mention all of those wonderful beaches you can strut your stuff down after you’ve made a full recovery!

Of course, another benefit of having cosmetic surgery abroad is that it guarantees total privacy, so that you won’t need to worry about friends, neighbours and work colleagues seeing you in the immediate aftermath of the operation. You can recover in a relaxed environment, choose who you want to see and have all manner of complementary therapies and additional work done while you’re at it. In order to make the most of your stay in the country and feel confident you’ve hired a surgeon with the sufficient level of expertise to carry out the work, it is advisable to engage the services of a cosmetic surgery company who regularly deals with sending clients from the United Kingdom to Brazil, or your country of choice. This will also insure that you are given the appropriate level of follow-up care, including careful monitoring in the days immediately following surgery. Not only will this give you piece of mind, but it will save you money as the company uses contacts that have been built up in the country over a number of years.

Regardless of this, it is worth understanding that all types of surgery carry a degree of risk and that surgical results differ from person to person and depend on many factors, including the patient’s age, medical history and health, and that results may be slightly different from those that you were expecting. As such, it is a good indication of the responsibility and professionalism of the surgeon that such things are discussed in detail before any operation takes place and you are aware of any complications or side effects that may occur, no matter how rare. Also, that the surgeon is available to discuss and treat side effects or complications as and when they arise. If such things are not immediately offered it is advisable to consider this a warning sign and start looking for a different surgeon. After all, you can take as long as you want selecting a surgeon you feel comfortable with, but you will be living with the results for the rest of your life.