More and more people are having aesthetic procedures carried out abroad – tempted by low prices and the vacation feeling. However, the supposed bargain price can be expensive if medical standards, aftercare and liability do not meet local requirements.
32.4 % of surgeons report a consistently high demand for corrective treatments for patients abroad (President of VDÄPC Dr. Alexnder Schönborn in “Haut”, Volume 36, Issue 5/25, pp. 239-240).
🔹 Price vs. quality
In countries such as Turkey, the Czech Republic or Poland, cosmetic surgery is often offered at a fraction of the cost in Germany. The lower prices are partly due to lower labor costs – but often also to savings on safety, hygiene or aftercare.
Patients often do not know exactly who is operating on them, whether the doctor has the appropriate qualifications or whether the clinic complies with international quality and hygiene standards.
🔹 Lack of aftercare
A decisive risk factor is the lack of aftercare. Complications such as infections, wound healing disorders or unaesthetic results often only occur after days or weeks – at a time when the patient is already back in Germany.
Here, follow-up care is usually left to German doctors – often without complete documentation, surgical reports or precise details of the materials used.
🔹 Expensive consequences in Germany
German health insurance companies generally do not cover the costs of corrections or treatment of complications after cosmetic surgery abroad, as this is considered an “optional service”.
The costs for follow-up treatments, wound revisions or medically necessary procedures can quickly amount to several thousand euros – often more expensive than the original procedure itself.
The legal enforcement of claims for damages abroad is also difficult due to different liability rules and language barriers.
🔹 Safety first
Anyone considering cosmetic surgery should obtain comprehensive information and not be guided by price alone.
A qualified medical consultation, transparent information and reliable availability of the surgeon after the procedure are crucial for a safe, medically responsible and aesthetically pleasing result.