Going abroad for plastic surgery?

[bigsevenhead]

I’ve been self conscious about my forehead since I was 5. It’s absolutely huge and disproportionate to my face. It’s my biggest insecurity and frankly I’m fed up with it.

now that I’m old enough, I looked into getting forehead reduction surgery and was found to be a good candidate for it, but I can’t afford the 7k it costs here and I can’t ask my parents etc for it either. I have read good reviews about going abroad for the procedure (Turkey mainly) where you can get it done at top quality clinics with really good doctors, but it’s not as expensive as here.

does anyone have any experience or advice with going abroad for plastic surgery? I’ve got friends who went to turkey for teeth and nose jobs and were really happy with the results. I’m just a bit anxious about it and just thought I’d post in case anyone has any knowledge or advice!

(please nobody tell me that my forehead won’t be as big as I think and that I’m imagining it- I’m not. It’s huge. And also please nobody tell me I should get therapy to deal with it- it matters to me and no amount of therapy will be able to change my disproportionate face. I know I want to get it fixed, I’m just trying to decide the best way to do it)

Here in the US, many people head into Mexico for elective surgeries and dental work due to cost.

Definitely research the facilty and the doctor. Where did the surgeon train, are there adequate protections in place (accreditation and such)?

I understand how you feel about it. Inhabe a very low falling brow and am saving up for a lift.

You do you, other peoples opinions do not matter.

I have friends who have been abroad for everything from Turkey teeth, top surgery, to pituitary gland cyst removal in the brain. I think that's the cyst name.

If you're otherwise healthy, not mega overweight, don't have any potentially healing-sensitive conditions then the only issue I've heard is boredom when you wait around between surgery and the check ups before you're allowed home.

What you have to weigh up is whether the amount of time you need to book a hotel for, plus travelling and sustaining yourself for the time you're abroad, is actually cheaper than doing it here.

Many places in the UK will set up payment plans.

People are known to go Turkey to get botched

Please don't;

www.independent.ie/regionals/dublin/dublin-news/cosmetic-surgery-trip-to-turkey-ruined-my-life-says-dublin-woman-22-42327027.html

And that is far from the first case I've read about, but that one is harrowing, the poor woman, she's only 22. If something goes wrong, it can go very, very wrong and you are very much on your own

I’m sorry to hear that you feel uncomfortable with your appearance. Sometimes we are more critical of ourselves than with others. I’m sure you don’t have a disproportionately large forehead, but you could perhaps talk to a professional hair stylist and they might be able to give better recommendations on how to cut and style your hair that would better suit your face. And I’m sure it would cost much less than 7k.

I think if you're so self-conscious about your forehead that you want to get your face peeled back and your forehead shaved/cut down and your hairline and face then rejoined you're probably going to want to eliminate as many risks of problems as possible. Because most problems will be visible on your face.

I'd say that £7k is a lot of money. But avoiding a partially numb face or forehead due to severed nerves or having issues with infections is really worth that extra money.

Pushed send by mistake!

So however you're planning on saving the money for surgery abroad, I'd plan on saving a bit longer and have it closer to home.

Id probably go to South Korea - better quality

@bigsevenhead between the age of 11 and early 20’s I was obsessed with the size of my nose. Hated it. Thought it was so enormous I would be forever single. Then life takes over and other things become more important. I promise you, I genuinely haven’t thought about my nose size for years. I was never single for long either. Please leave your face alone. And definitely do not go abroad. Your travel insurance is unlikely to cover you if anything goes wrong. Yes there will always be the odd person on instagram paid to promote a clinic in Turkey to say how great it was. Truth is, there will be another 5 people regretting the trip. Particularly teeth where the problems arise when you realise your teeth have been filed into oblivion unnecessarily aged 20. Only today I sat next to a random woman in a nail bar describing to someone else in GREAT detail the surgery that led how someone she knows having had ‘a 360 mummy make over’ (apparently Lipo then surgery) in Turkey and it’d gone horribly wrong.

Please go and see a surgeon in the UK if it is something you genuinely can’t live with.

You will most likely be fine, especially if you do your research and pick a top doctor. You're already saving money by going abroad, don't try to save even more and go cheap once you're there.

The stories you see in the news are rare - but there is obviously a small but potentially life-changing risk involved.

Oh yes, pop off to Turkey...
FFS you posted this today and mentioned Turkey as a potential for surgery - can you not read a room?
Not to mention the fact that those who swan off for cheaper (unnecessary) surgery abroad invariably come screaming to the NHS for help when it has all gone wrong

I was like this about my forehead and also about my nose when I was young. As I have aged I haven't thought anything about them. I have had a fringe though for most of my life and am considered attractive. That sounds odd to say but your face is about more than it's individual parts.

Don’t you think that surgeons in Turkey may be otherwise occupied right now?

Can you afford to return for corrective work if it goes wrong or would you expect to be treated in the UK?

Why not pay for therapy to improve your self esteem. Even if the surgery goes well you will notice other problems and want to get them fixed. Plastic surgery is addictive look at celebrities and influencers

A fringe will be a hell of a lot cheaper, be pain-free and won’t require NHS repairs or involve travel to a disaster zone.

I voted YABU only because if you're serious about it you need to save up and do it in the UK.

There's no way I'd risk going away for something so serious and obvious.

To be fair to OP, she said "Turkey mainly" suggesting not only being open to Turkey. I read it as she wants to go abroad where it's cheaper and somewhere she's heard of other people going. If she hears lots of good reviews about forehead reduction in Romania (as an example), then she'd consider that too.

Hi OP, there’s a long running thread in the weight loss chat section about gastric surgery which has a lot of discussion around U.K. vs. Abroad. Different surgery but same principles and is people who have actual experience posting on it so it may be helpful to you. I suspect this thread may well get quite judgmental being in AIBU

A high forehead is beautiful.

Please, please don’t do this, OP.

I've had surgery in turkey.

If you choose a great doctor and do plenty of research you will be fine.

Popular overseas surgeons tend to be much more experienced than cosmetic surgeons here. You may even find somebody who specialises in your specific surgery.

I have absolutely no regrets I look amazing. I honestly couldn't be happier with my results, I couldn't have found a doctor in the UK as experienced or well qualified as the one I used in turkey.

Can I ask how you did your research? What sort of things did you look for/check?
I’m considering it too but don’t know where to start.

Can the people who have had plastic surgery abroad make it clear exactly what they’ve done and which country they’ve done it in because it’s clear from the OP’s post that she’s considering forehead reduction surgery which can have severe side effects. So unless you’ve had the same the surgery that the OP is considering, please think before sharing or advocating for this type of surgery because this isn’t some minor cosmetic surgery.

@bigsevenhead And OP, I think it would be best to seek therapy to boost your self-esteem and as I mentioned above, consult a professional hair stylist who can help you discuss how to cut and style your hair
that would best suit your face. This type of surgery isn’t a decision that should be taken lightly. I really hope you feel better about yourself and I am fearful not only of the side effects, that it can be a slippery slope especially if you don’t feel too good about yourself. I’m sure you’re beautiful both inside and out.

Who declared you as suitable? If they are uk and have seen you in person maybe that is a safer option?

I know of a young woman who went to Turkey for a procedure recently. I’m not sure of the exact details of what happened but the outcome was that her brain was starved of oxygen during the procedure and she was in a coma.

Her family had to fly out to Turkey, she was transferred to a hospital back home in England. She can now breathe unaided but may never be able to walk or speak again.

Just because it’s a “cosmetic” procedure doesn’t mean it doesn’t carry risks. And personally I’d rather face those risks at home than abroad (and preferably not at all).

You want cosmetic surgery on the part of your body that contains your brain? Seriously?

Please don't. Spend money on a great haircut to help disguise your forehead and therapy to help you accept your physical perceived Imperfections.