Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery

Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Abroad: 21-Point Checklist

Cosmetic surgery abroad carries the highest stakes of any medical-tourism category. The British Embassy in Turkey publishes regular safety notices for a reason. Read this list twice.

Last updated 1 May 2026Reviewed by cliniccheck editorial teamHow we research Editorial policy

When to use this checklist

Use this 21-point list for any cosmetic procedure abroad — rhinoplasty, BBL, breast surgery, abdominoplasty, facelift, liposuction. Cosmetic surgery carries the highest mortality of any medical-tourism category. The FCDO publishes safety notices on Turkey specifically because of this; the checks below are the universal version of those notices.

How to use it

Read this twice before booking. Verify the surgeon's registration with the relevant national plastic-surgery society (TSPRAS for Turkey, SPCH for Czechia). Confirm hospital-based surgery with ICU access and a named anaesthetist. Set the minimum in-country recovery window with the surgeon in writing; do not let yourself be rushed home.

Red flags — walk away if you see these

Quote based only on photographs — no medical assessment.
Surgery booked within 7 days of first contact.
Multiple procedures combined in one operation to "save money".
No named surgeon, only a clinic brand.
"All-inclusive" quote with no breakdown.
BBL performed in a non-hospital clinic.

Surgeon and facility

Surgeon is registered with the relevant national plastic-surgery society.
In Turkey: TSPRAS. Czechia: SPCH. Membership ≠ accreditation, but it is a baseline.
Surgery performed in a fully licensed hospital with ICU on site.
Day clinics are not appropriate for BBL, abdominoplasty, breast surgery.
Named anaesthetist with current registration.
Cardiac arrest under anaesthesia is the leading cause of cosmetic-surgery death.
Surgeon's case volume for your specific procedure — last 12 months.
For BBL, ask specifically about ultrasound-guided fat injection.

Before surgery

In-person consultation with the operating surgeon at least 24 hours before surgery.
Not a 10-minute meeting on the morning of.
Full blood work, ECG and pre-op assessment.
This should be done in-country, in a hospital lab, not relied on from UK paperwork alone.
Realistic expectations confirmed in writing.
Including before/after photographs of the surgeon's own patients with similar baseline.
Written complications policy: who treats sepsis, embolism or revision?
Aftercare in the UK falls to the NHS or a private surgeon — make sure they exist.

Recovery and flight home

Minimum in-country recovery before flying — and stick to it.
BBL: 10–14 days. Tummy tuck: 7–10 days. Breast: 7 days. Rhinoplasty: 5 days.
DVT prophylaxis: TED stockings, mobility, hydration.
Long-haul flights post-surgery carry serious clot risk.
24/7 contact for the surgical team during recovery.
Not a coordinator. The on-call doctor.
Pre-arranged UK GP or aesthetic clinician for follow-up.
Plan this before you fly out, not after you fly back.

Ready to compare clinics?

Use this checklist alongside our directory of clinics. Listing is not endorsement — always verify accreditation yourself.

See Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery clinics

Frequently asked questions

Why does cosmetic surgery need the strictest checklist?

Because it carries the highest mortality of any medical-tourism category. The FCDO publishes safety notices about Turkey specifically for this reason, and these checks are the universal version of those notices — applied to rhinoplasty, BBL, breast surgery, abdominoplasty, facelift and liposuction alike.

What are the most serious red flags?

A quote based only on photographs with no medical assessment; surgery booked within seven days of first contact; and multiple procedures combined in one operation to save money. The last is the most dangerous, because anaesthetic and DVT risk rise with operating time rather than with the number of invoices.

Why is combining procedures presented as good value?

Because it is good value for the clinic — one theatre session, one anaesthetist, one admission. The added risk accrues entirely to you, which is why a responsible surgeon stages procedures when combined operating time gets long, even though staging costs them a booking.

What should I settle about the flight home before surgery?

The minimum safe interval, in writing, plus the thromboprophylaxis protocol — compression, injections, mobility. Cosmetic surgery abroad and a long flight are a combination with a specific risk profile, and it belongs in the plan before the operation rather than in a conversation at discharge.