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Patient's Story - Andrea Hansell went to Croatia

Surgery performed by Dr Rajko Toncic , Zagreb, Croatia
Procedures : Breast implants, lipo to chin and eye bag removal.
 

Extracts from Red Magazine - 
September 2004
The rise of the cosmetic mini-break
Written by Sophie Tweedale and Anna Magee

..........Some 50,000 'medi-tourists' leave Britain each year in search of faster, better or cheaper operations abroad.  Of those, it's estimated that around a fifth head to European clinics to be nipped , tucked, pumped or lifted.  According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS), countries such as Spain, Germany, France and Belgium are now overtaking Britain as the world's cosmetic surgery hotspots.............
 

....Linda Briggs, who organises cosmetic surgery trips, received 2,000 enquiries from Britons wanting to go to Europe for procedures in the past two years alone....

.........The primary attraction of mini-break surgery for Britons is the cost. Last year we spent £250 million on cosmetic surgery here in the UK and we're now among the world's most expensive places to have cosmetic surgery.

As with any other consumer product, we're looking overseas for savings.  And thanks to cheap travel and the pound's strength against the euro, we're getting them.

Charles Seadon of European Medical Care estimates that most procedures cost 40 per cent less than those in the UK, inclusive of travel and expenses.  Typical savings around Europe are: around £3,500 for a nose job in the UK - or just £1,350 in Cyprus.  In Spain, a boob job would cost you £2,700 (including two nights recovering in the clinic), but around £4,000 here.  Cosmetic dentistry offers even more savings.
 

One Woman's Story

Andrea Hansell, 33, an IT analyst from South East London has been on two cosmetic mini-breaks in the past year - both to Croatia.  The fist time she went for breasts implants; three months later, she flew back for treatment to the bags under her eyes and liposuction on her jaw line.

'I've wanted breast implants since I was 16 and I was really conscious of my tiny A-cups when all my friends were so much bigger.  But when I talked to surgeons in the UK, they were too nervous about my health to carry out the procedure - I've got a genetic kidney condition and they were worried about the impact anaesthesia could have'  

Still determined to go ahead, Andrea started doing research on the Internet and came across cosmetic consultant Linda Briggs who recommended a clinic in Zagreb, Croatia.  'I spoke to the surgeon, Dr Toncic, and told him about my medical history.  He looked at my notes and then got back to me saying it was no problem - he'd just have to be careful.  My plan was to go from an A-cup to a large B-cup.

'I flew out - alone - on Sunday December 7th 2003.  I'd been put up by a local family so was utterly immersed in the culture and spent the first day sightseeing and shopping - Zagreb's a beautiful city.  The next day I went into surgery and when I came round, I was in immense pain.  I stayed overnight and then went back to the family, I was surprised by how well I felt, and after the first day back, I was able to visit some local churches and museums.

Three days later I was flying home.  The support bra was uncomfortable and I still had my stitches in - my own doctor removed them three days after I got back.'

Andrea's implants cost £2,500 compared to £4,000 in the UK.  She was so pleased with her treatment that she went back to Zagreb in March for more work. I had fat removed from under my chin and my eye bags done.  I stayed five days and this time, the pain was absolutely minimal, so I was able to get out and about more.  This time, I spent around £1,400 - well under half of what it would have cost in the UK'

Telephone Linda +44 (0)1354 610368