FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The same way you would want an electrician to fix an electrical problem in your home, complications from plastic surgery are best managed by plastic surgeons. This post-operative care is not included when a patient travels overseas for surgery.

There is clear evidence that the higher the quality of aftercare a patient receives, the better their surgical outcomes will be.

The burden of care on GP-practices in the UK is huge. We have also found there to be a reluctance in treating complications from elective surgery through GP practices.

Booking a follow-up package with UMCS guarantees you the best post-operative care after surgery abroad.

Most plastic surgeons are focused on providing aftercare to their own patients, and lack the infrastructure necessary to deal with potential complications from other surgeons.

UMCS will provide you with timely appointments with one of our contracted plastic surgeons and clinics. We request the necessary documents from the surgeon who performed your operation on your behalf to improve the quality of aftercare we provide. This includes op notes, detailed post op instructions and specialised advice on aftercare for your procedure.

All of our packages minimise post-operative risk and include the following the assessment of scars and wounds by a plastic surgeon, change of dressing, removal of stitches and drains as well as management of complications early on. We will also provide you with advice on aftercare.

Packages do not cover any invasive management of complications (i.e additional surgeries) or management of emergencies requiring admission to hospital.

Please see Terms and Conditions for more information.

Aftercare regimens in cosmetic surgery usually include at least 3 follow up appointments.

The first appointment is about 7-14 days after surgery. The second appointment, within 4-6 weeks, and the third after 3 months.

However, the level of complexity as well as the area of treatment (face vs. body) all have different follow-up protocols. Additionally, individual patient factors determine timing and number of follow-up appointments needed for optimal recovery.

Please get in touch with us to help determine the most appropriate package for your situation.

The timing of your first follow-up appointment will depend on the type of surgery and your recovery. Your after care provider will check your wounds and remove any stitches, staples, adhesives or drains that are still in place.

As a guide, stitches in the face should be removed after 5-7 days; on the trunk and upper extremities, 10-14 days; and on the lower extremities, 14-21 days.

Please get in touch with us to help determine the most appropriate timing for your follow-up.

No. We do however, promote comprehensive aftercare to patients in a highly unregulated market.

During our time in the NHS we’ve seen an increasing number of patients return to the UK with complications after surgery abroad due to lack of appropriate follow-up.

This increases the burden on the National Health Care Systems and on GPs. UMCS aims to decrease that burden, and provide our patients with the best level of care available to them when they return to the UK.

Current medical tourism agencies are led by non-medical staff and advisors who are contracted to specific plastic surgeons. They lack the necessary knowledge to advise patients appropriately.

Most GPs and UK-based plastic surgeons are reluctant to advise patients thinking of traveling abroad for cosmetic surgery.

Clear evidence from studies suggests that the quality of health information online is unreliable at best and should be used with caution. Most Plastic surgeons engage in widespread marketing online and on social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. This often obscures the quality of work provided by the surgeon.

Our years of exposure to plastic surgery means we are constantly accumulating knowledge and furthering our own technical skills. This allows us to reflect on our colleagues’ results in the most insightful way.

Years of education, surgical training, research and countless meetings in which surgeons compare their surgical outcomes have allowed us to reflect on our colleague’s results and quality of care better than anyone else. This is the case for every highly specialized job.