Rise of Medical Tourism Shows Impact on Cosmetic Surgery Market Medical Xpress
go to original October 31, 2013

Amerimed Hospital Puerto Vallarta Mexico (promovision)

Would you consider traveling to Mexico for a less-expensive rhinoplasty or breast augmentation procedure? Many Americans are doing just that - and the trend is having an impact on the market for cosmetic plastic surgery, according to an article in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open, the official open-access medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

The paper, by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Kevin C. Chung and Lauren E. Franzblau of the University of Michigan, discusses "the rise and transformation of the medical tourism industry, foreign and domestic forces that influence cosmetic surgical tourism, and the pros and cons for all involved parties." Chung and Franzblau write, "The rapid globalization of the industry also marks a fundamental shift in the world's perception of elective procedures: patients are becoming consumers and these medical services are being viewed as commodities."

Traveling for medical care is nothing new - but in the past, people were more likely to travel from poor countries to obtain higher-quality care in wealthier countries. Today, prompted by the ease and relatively low costs of travel, more patients from the United States and other western countries are traveling to the developing world to access less-costly medical and surgical procedures. Because cosmetic plastic surgery procedures aren't covered by insurance, they make up a major part of the burgeoning medical tourism market.

Read the rest at Medical Xpress

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