Why Medical Tourism Isn’t Slowing Down Anytime Soon

Despite the plethora of medical advancements and technology in the United States, people still flock to other countries to get certain medical and cosmetic procedures at much lower costs. From full-body MRI scans to dental implants (veneers) and even surgical tummy tucks, medical tourism is on the rise—the market was valued at a whopping $7.75 billion in 2023 alone. And it's not slowing down any time soon.

Why is that? Well, tummy tucks, for example, can cost upwards of $8,000 in the U.S., whereas the same procedure could be a fraction of the cost at clinics overseas. While this sounds like a dream come true (who wouldn't want to recover from surgery on an Italian beach or in the French countryside?!), there are drawbacks to navigating surgery, travel, and, yes, healthcare in an unfamiliar place.

So, where do you even start if you're looking to partake in medical tourism yourself? Read on for expert advice before booking that international flight and medical consultation.

First, what is medical tourism? 

As implied, medical tourism means traveling out of the state or country to get a medical procedure or treatment. More specifically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says Americans travel overseas each year to receive cosmetic procedures (like lip fillers), dental and orthodontic care, vision care, fertility treatments, transplant procedures, or weight-loss procedures they might not be able to wait for or afford state-side.

“Nowadays, we see more travel abroad for hair transplantation, rhinoplasty (aka nose jobs), or for very specific surgical procedures that are performed elsewhere,” says Daniel Gould, MD, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. Mexico and Canada are some of the most popular countries for U.S. travelers, but Colombia, Costa Rica, Turkey, South Korea, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic also attract medical tourists from all over the world.

Why is medical tourism so popular?

It's no surprise that factors like unreliable health insurance, high costs of living, drug prices, administration costs, and high-paid health professionals make it difficult for people to pay for their medical procedures outright. In fact, in 2024, about 30 million Americans borrowed money for healthcare.

But, “most Americans are typically saving around 50 percent when traveling abroad,” says David Vequist, PhD, the director and founder of the Center for Medical Tourism Research at the University of the Incarnate Word. “In many cases, it is less than or equal to the out-of-pocket costs that an American might have with an insurance package, including the cost of travel," he adds.

Medical tourism has also boomed thanks to influencer culture and social media (think: the rise of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic); limited access to healthcare is also driving people to book flights instead of appointments for care, says Dr. Vequist. For some, it's not even about the money, but about the "lifetime experience" of taking a vacation while getting a procedure done, says Jonathan Edelheit, chairman and co-founder of the Medical Tourism Association.

5 things to know before traveling abroad for medical care 

Dr. Vequist and Edelheit say that it’s possible to participate in medical tourism safely, as long as you take the right precautions before, during, and after your trip. Here are their top tips to keep in mind before booking your consultation.

1. Do your research

While there are many high-quality medical facilities around the world, experts advise researching the accreditations of a facility beforehand. “Look for board certification [and] membership to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons,” says Dr. Gould. This helps narrow down practitioners and clinics that offer the highest quality care.

Not all accreditations are legitimate, though. To avoid the fakes, the CDC says to look for medical facilities or clinics that are accredited by recognized international bodies, such as the Joint Commission International or the International Society for Quality in Health Care, which both provide lists of recognized facilities on their websites.

If you’re traveling for a cosmetic procedure, Dr. Gould says to check to make sure the facility has good before-and-after photography showing its quality of work. For example, if you're going for a nose job, try to gather plenty of high-resolution photos of how clients looked before and after, plus any reviews they've written about their experience. Another tip: Make sure the staff at the facility you choose speak your preferred language—this will keep important information from getting lost in translation.

If, after your initial consultation, you have more questions about your procedure, ask the clinic staff if you can set up a video or phone call ahead of time to get them answered. That way, you'll have peace of mind knowing you're in good hands before jet-setting off to your destination.

2. Compare price points

If cost is the primary reason you are considering medical tourism, try to compare price points of your desired treatment abroad versus in your home country or state, just to make sure your budget is accounted for. Beyond the procedure itself, you'll have to factor in travel costs like flights, hotels, food, and transportation, too.

Also, keep in mind: If you get surgery overseas, you'll likely have to stay at a hotel for longer than the average vacation so you can properly recover and heal, which might ramp up your total cost. For context, the CDC recommends waiting at least 10 days after chest or abdominal surgery before flying, and seven to 10 days after procedures on the face, eyelids, or nose, so you limit the risk of injury or post-surgery complications.

3. Get a pre-travel health checkup

Before you even book your ticket, you'll want to make sure you're in good enough health to travel. This means getting a pre-travel health checkup at your primary care physician's office. If your provider gives you the "all clear" to travel, you can then discuss the benefits and risks of the procedure you're looking to get, plus follow-up appointment plans for when you get home.

4. Invest in travel insurance 

This is a step you might skip when booking a regular vacation, but when it comes to medical tourism, the CDC recommends investing in travel insurance, mostly because it could help cover medical evacuation (i.e., immediate travel back to your home country for medical care), if needed.¹ Most airlines will have travel insurance options to choose from when buying your tickets, but if you're ever unsure of your coverage, call the airline for more information.

5. Bring a friend or loved one for moral support

You wouldn’t plan to undergo a procedure without some help in the U.S., so why should it be any different abroad? For this reason, make sure you have someone to help you get back to your hotel and during your recovery, says Dr. Gould. This is a great opportunity to ask a friend, loved one, or partner if they can come along with you for physical and moral support. (Sorry, no solo trips this time around.)

There are a few risks to consider, too

The phrase "medical tourism" might conjure up images of a quick trip to the operating room followed by a chill recovery on the beach, by the pool, or in a plush hotel room. This could very well be your reality: Dr. Vequist says that according to the CDC, only 5 percent of people who travel for healthcare report complications, "which is actually not out of line with what we would find in the United States for a variety of procedures," he adds.

As long as you choose a reliable clinic and provider, it can be perfectly safe to get surgery or procedures abroad, Edelheit says. "You're going to get a great outcome, and you may find that you're going to the top doctor or surgeon in that country, and they even trained in the U.S.," he says.

That said, there is always potential for side effects and risks, whether you're going under the knife in your hometown or somewhere else. Here's a breakdown of some possible downsides to know before you go.

You might receive inadequate follow-up care

One of the most common concerns experts have about medical tourism is follow-up care, or lack thereof, when returning home. "When you’re treated locally, your surgeon monitors your recovery, catches problems early, and tailors interventions to your needs," Dr. Gould says. But "if you go abroad, once you leave, you are no longer their responsibility, and foreign surgeons and clinics will simply write you off," in some cases.

Not to mention, if you experience a complication that requires treatment at home, your insurance may not cover it. Both Drs. Gould and Vequist warn that medical malpractice lawsuits are virtually impossible to carry out with foreign physicians, meaning there's often little recourse if something goes wrong.²

You may experience post-surgery complications

While there are high-quality medical facilities and providers all over the world, people who opt for the cheapest or unaccredited ones can face negative outcomes. "The worst thing [patients] can do is focus on just saving money as the number one thing," says Edelheit. "It should be, 'I want to get the highest quality care and save money,'" he adds. 

Poor surgical technique, lack of proper sterilization, and poor-quality materials can lead to bad health outcomes, says Dr. Gould. "I've personally seen patients return with infected wounds, tissue necrosis (cell death), asymmetry, seromas (abnormal fluid buildup), and implant malposition (improper placement of silicone implants)," he says.³,⁴,⁵ "One patient even returned with resistant bacteria requiring hospitalization and IV antibiotics."

Your risk of blood clots increases with high-risk and combination surgeries

Lots of people capitalize on the time abroad by booking multiple procedures in one trip. But getting higher-risk surgeries or squeezing in as many as you can increases your risk of complications.

Dr. Gould says procedures like Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) and tummy tucks, "especially when done in high-volume, fast-turnover clinics, are risky." That’s because these procedures carry a higher risk of conditions like deep vein thrombosis (i.e., when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, often in the legs), fat embolism syndrome (i.e., when fat particles enter your bloodstream and block blood flow), or wound complications, he says, which can be life-threatening.⁶,⁷

You might face other safety concerns while traveling

Traveling itself can come with its own set of risks, whether you're getting surgery or not. For example, you might ingest contaminated water or contract a foodborne illness (read: food poisoning), says Dr. Vequist, or get blood clots from flying. Combine these with surgery, and it could raise your risk of complications.

General safety while abroad is another concern. While Dr. Vequist knows that fear-mongering is real, certain cities that are well-known for medical tourism can sometimes be risky places to travel, especially if you're alone. So just keep this in mind when booking your trip or while out and about.

So, should you hop on the medical tourism trend?

There's no denying that medical tourism is a trend that's here to stay. Between rising healthcare and living costs in the U.S., the growing popularity of cosmetic procedures, and the idea of returning from vacation as "a new you," traveling abroad for cosmetic and medical treatments can be an appealing, and often cheaper and timelier, choice.

With the right research, medical facility, and practitioners, experts say getting surgery overseas can be a safe alternative to going into medical debt at your local hospital. But like with any surgery, there are risks to consider, so be sure to take the proper precautions before, during, and after your procedure. Bottom line: Talk to your healthcare provider to see if it's the right route for you.

And if you're needing to travel for a true medical procedure? Make sure you keep your primary care physician in the loop, so they can provide the best possible follow-up care.