Fractional Aesthetics / Market research / International cosmetic surgery
2 min readby Lazar LaLone

Q: What is international cosmetic surgery?

Lazar LaLone, Fractional Aesthetics

Published 

Safety

Safety comes first, and only a patient and their clinical care team can decide what is safe. This is general information, not medical or legal advice.

Cosmetic surgery abroad: why patients go, the risks, and the trend

A:International cosmetic surgery is cosmetic surgery that a patient travels to another country to have, a subset of so-called "medical tourism" that is increasing in popularity, Plastic Surgery authors report. Prices abroad may be as low as 20% of US prices, even with airfare and travel included. In their 2022 US survey, the top advantages people named were lower prices, shorter waiting lists, and privacy during recovery.1

The same survey found the top disadvantages were the risk of complications, lack of follow-up care after surgery, and distance from home. The authors write that complications after surgery abroad are often handled back home at significant cost to the physician and the healthcare system.1 The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) notes each country has different safety guidelines, so a patient should research the rules of the specific country being considered.2

A 2025 study in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery used ISAPS survey data from 2019 to 2023. It found the share of procedures performed on international patients rose, and Argentina, Brazil, and the United States showed the greatest growth. Most countries were classified as hybrid, meaning they both send and receive cosmetic patients.3 For more about attracting and losing international patients, see our international patients.

Notice

This article is for informational purposes only. It describes published sources and gives our opinion on what they mean for running a practice. It is not medical or legal advice, it does not create a doctor‑patient or attorney‑client relationship, and it should not be used to make any medical or legal decision. Discuss treatment with a qualified healthcare provider and legal questions with a licensed attorney. What it says about any company, product, or pharmacy comes from the sources cited below, and anything beyond them is our opinion. To report an error, email lazar@fractionalaesthetics.com and we will review it.

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References (3)
  1. Plastic Surgery (via PubMed Central), Costs Versus Complications: Public Perspectives on International Cosmetic Surgery Tourism, 2022. Peer-reviewed. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11298143/ Back to where you were ↑
  2. International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Considering Your Procedure Abroad, 2022. Trade press. https://www.isaps.org/discover/patients-home/considering-your-procedure-abroad/ Back to where you were ↑
  3. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (Springer), Global Dynamics in Cosmetic Tourism, 2025. Peer-reviewed. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00266-025-05439-x Back to where you were ↑