Travelling solo for neck/facelift?

Thank you for your question as medical tourism is a tempting one.I am a plastic surgeon practicing in Toronto so I thought I would be very qualified to answer your question.Some of the best plastic surgeons are Canadians (and Americans!), and many are in Toronto.  Toronto patients should not look anywhere else.I have seem countless problems post-operatively in patients returning form other countries and with complications.  Complications can occur even in the best hands.  But it is difficult for us plastic surgeon to take care of other surgeon's problems, because we all have our techniques, out team and our postoperative protocols.  Most often, patients with complications have to return to their original surgeon and this can be even more costly.  You also do not have OHIP coverage for complications once you are out of Canada.  Many health insurances will also not cover complications from cosmetic surgery when performed abroad.I understand it is tempting to have a recovery in the warmth and sunshine but it should not cloud your decision to first look for the most qualified doctor.  Toronto has many great plastic surgeons.  And equally important, you need to trust your plastic surgeon and to also trust that he/she will be with you during your recovery, with or without complications.Many of my patients want to recover peacefully and will stay at local hotels close to our clinics for a few days, after which they can drive one hour north and go to their cottages - or rent one!  - Muskoka, Kawarthas, Lake Simcoe, Prince Eward County, Collingwood and Niagara-on-the-Lake are all common areas where my patients will go to recover, yet stay close to my nurses and myself.  That way, they are still relatively close to the surgeon and can get full attention in the recovery.  We also offer a system of personal support aides and nurses who can be with you for the first few days, should you want to be alone in your recovery.  You will see that a facelift is not a difficult recovery once the small drains have been removed 1-2 days post-surgery.  Pain is also minimal.  The hardest part is the 'social' aspect where you do need to hide a bit for the slight swelling and bruising to recover.And once recovered, you will be happy and you will be able to travel the world, including Costa Rica!Let us know if this information was helpful!Best regards,Dr. Marc DuPéré, Toronto aesthetic plastic surgeon and facialist.

Thank you for submitting your question to the Doctors here on RealSelf.  To be honest, I feel the focus of your search should be on "who" will be performing your procedure, and not the "where" or "how" (these are secondary, in my opinion).  May I suggest having your procedure performed under local anesthesia with sedation in an office setting (as we do here in our Center).  This would allow you to recover on your own in your own space without the need for nursing care and assistance.  Please focus on the "who" and research and find physicians who specialize and perform this procedure on a regular basis.  For example, at our Center this is what we do day in and day out, so we are very comfortable serving patients from out of town.  Typically we require our out of town patients to stay local for one full week after their procedure. Best of luck to you and please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

This is a relatively straight forward request, between long term rentals in all cities and proximity to plastic surgeon offices. We regularly have patients travel in for facial procedures so once a consultation is complete, logistics can be arranged. Good luck!

A great solution for you would be the Laser-Assisted Weekend Necklift. It provides a short recovery of only a few days, hence the name given by our patients here at the Clevens Center in Melbourne, FL. I perform the procedure under local anesthesia with sedation and create a small, hidden incision under the natural fold of the chin and utilize a laser, liposuction and sometimes a chin implant to improve the appearance of a sagging face, jowls and neck. This technique results in a natural appearance with minimal discomfort. I suggest you consult a board certified facial plastic surgeon
to receive the highest quality knowledge, treatment, care and skill available. In the consultation, you will learn about pricing, timing and recovery. Please keep in mind that your elective facial plastic procedure is an investment. Beware of the many imposters out there and stick with board certificated surgeons who have excellent education, training, background, experience and testimonials.

It is becoming more common for patients to travel for facelift and neck lift.It is best to do your research in advance.  You can certainly find a good surgeon and a good facility to recoup and recover after surgery.  In our practice we do Skype consultations or face consultation for patients were coming from far off and make all the necessary arrangements for their procedure and the recovery.RegardsDr. J 

It has been experience of many plastic surgeons and thousands of patients that selecting a reliable surgeon is the key of successful result. You should look for your solution within USA or Canada where there are numerous well trained and experienced board certified plastic surgeons that perform face lift. And many attractive destinations as well. What if things do not turn the way expected? Where do you go then? Choose wisely. Good luck.

When you travel away from home for surgery, you have to remember to arrange things you take for granted at home.  You should definitely not be alone.  If for some reason you can't have a family member or a friend with you, the clinic should be able to provide you with a nurse or a personal support worker (who you can hire) to assist you during your early stages of recovery.  You also need to think ahead and plan for follow up visits, future procedures, and of course complications.  Nobody wants complications but you should always be prepared for them.  If something doesn't turn out right, are you able to stay at your destination longer?  Will you be able to afford hospital care if needed (no health insurance will cover expenses related to medical tourism).  If you are a Canadian and travel within Canada, your universal health care covers you anywhere in the country.  But once you leave Canada, you are no longer covered and the expenses can be enormous.  If you develop a complication later (after you return home) or have some issues you are unhappy with and wish a touch up or additional surgery, you will need to plan travelling back to your original surgeon.  

You can find this arrangement almost anywhere.  I would concern myself more with finding the right surgeon. Facelift techniques an outcomes vary drastically.  Look at before and afters. Once you find your favorite go see if that surgeons office can arrange what you're looking for 

 It is important to have a caretaker, friend or relative with you when traveling for her face and neck lift. The reason for this is both physical and emotional support. In our practice we have seen face/neck lift results from Costa Rica that were disastrous. Best to stay in the United States or Candida for well-trained surgeons. Do not shop price, shop quality since this is your face and you want to have a very natural result. Look at your prospective surgeon's before and after photo Gallery to make sure they have extensive experience  with the face neck lift procedure.  Also important o make  sure the procedure is performed in a licensed and certified operating room, and anesthesia is performed by a board-certified physician anesthesiologist for patient safety and comfort. Expect to spend 10-14 days on location where are your having  your procedure performed for proper postoperative followup

 I encourage you to think very carefully about this choice. It truly can have profound implications on your health and well-being,  not to mention the outcome of your surgery.  We often perform facelifts on patients who have traveled great distances for their care. However, it must be well organized and thought out.  Having a family member or close friend with you is ideal.  This is in part because it's safer to have someone with you in case you were having problems after surgery.  (This is in fact a requirement!)  There are other, more simpler, reasons to do so however.  For the first couple of days you will not feel like going out and running any quick errands to pick up something at the drugstore or convenience store for example. For patients who cannot or do not want to have a family member or friend with them, we arrange for a nurse to be with the patient during the early postoperative.   remember also to think of additional factors in your decision. What is the board certification and experience level of your surgeon? Who will be performing your anesthesia and what are their credentials? Is the operating room you will be using accredited by the appropriate organizations to ensure optimal conditions for safety?  At what point will you have follow-up and how available will your team be? When will it be safe to travel home?