British plastic surgeons have warned of dangerous “shortcuts” taken by Turkish plastic surgery clinics, which they say probably explains the surprisingly cheap prices of the procedures they offer.
Experts have raised concerns about high-risk procedures such as nose jobs and weight loss surgeries costing £6,000 less than they would in the UK.
The use of older, riskier equipment, a lack of aftercare and insurance to protect patients when something goes wrong may explain the shortfall in price, surgeons told MailOnline.
This website has identified at least five Turkish clinics offering Brazilian butt lifts, gastric bands, nose jobs and breast augmentations that are luring customers with prices five times cheaper than in the UK.
The findings come after the death of 54-year-old Janet Savage, who suffered fatal injuries on the operating table at a Turkish clinic while undergoing a gastric sleeve weight loss procedure.
He paid £2,750 for the treatment, which included flights to Turkey. This is a fraction of the £5,000 to £15,000 for a similar procedure in the UK.
MailOnline found rhinoplasty and Brazilian Butt Lifts advertised on various Turkish clinic websites for around £1,500 and £2,000 respectively.
Janet Savage, 54, (pictured) who traveled to Antalya, Turkey for gastric sleeve surgery died on the operating table, a recent inquest has revealed
Hayley Dowell, 38, (pictured) died after paying £7,000 for a ‘premium’ cosmetic surgery package including a Brazilian butt lift and tummy tuck in Turkey in October 2023.
Kaydell Brown, 38, (pictured) died after paying just £5,400 for a ‘Mummy MOT’ – a package which included BBL work, a tummy tuck and a breast lift – in Turkey in March.
By comparison, such operations can cost upwards of £7,000 and £8,000 in Britain.
Breast jobs, including lifts and augmentations, were listed at prices as low as £2,000 compared to over £8,000 in the UK.
Tummy tucks have been priced by some Turks as costing just under £2,500, five times less than the £10,000 such an operation can cost in Britain.
Meanwhile, MailOnline has found bariatric surgery, the same type of weight loss procedure that killed Ms Savage, priced from £2,500.
Many clinics, such as the large Turkish hospital chain Medicine Park, offer a package that includes accommodation and flights, which means that the operation itself is even cheaper.
An ad on another clinic’s website claimed: “Don’t regret paying over the odds for the exact same treatment.”
But British surgeons have warned that the ultra-cheap prices are a “red flag”.
Charles Durrant, consultant plastic surgeon at Ad Nova in Portsmouth, said British surgeons are more expensive as they are covered by expensive insurance, which can provide financial protection if something goes wrong.
Mother-of-two Kaydell, who died after undergoing cosmetic surgery in Turkey, is pictured with her two sons
Liposuction, Brazilian butt lift, eye color changing laser treatments and hymenoplasty are offered in clinics across Turkey
Glamorous Ms Savage suffered fatal injuries on the operating table in a Turkish clinic
Hayley Butler, 40, (pictured) died of complications after traveling to Turkey for gastric sleeve surgery
That’s just one of the many “catches,” with cheap procedures, he said.
“Chances are they’re not using the most up-to-date equipment, which potentially means a higher risk of complications and a less desirable outcome.”
For these reasons extraordinary price differences are a “red flag,” he said.
“If you’re racing to get to the lowest possible price, short cuts will be made. You’ll be less skilled, have less efficient equipment, and take short cuts with aftercare.”
“There is a lot of truth in ‘you get what you pay for.’
And he stressed that such a false economy could “end up costing you your life”.
“There were quite a few deaths in Turkey and there weren’t any in the UK, now that’s a pretty obvious statistic.”
He added that a lesser-known aspect of the equation was what he called “collusion” by the Turkish government to entice Britons to undergo surgery in the country.
“Cosmetic tourism is such a big financial earner for the government that all these pop-ups will get government funding,” he said.
“The government will subsidize the building of the clinic, subsidize hotel stays, flights for patients, the list goes on.”
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has previously estimated the cost of treating such bad patients in Britain to be around £15,000 and with more than 300 known patients, this brings the bill to around £4.8 million.
Some Turkish agencies, such as this example from Medicine Park, have tried to lure Brits with ‘limited offers’ for major surgery
The British Association of Plastic Surgeons analyzed 324 cases of Britons needing medical treatment or corrective surgery after going under the knife abroad since 2018
Michelle Heath (pictured) appeared on This Morning in April to talk about the horror plastic surgery that left her scarred for life
Turkish clinics offer packages including VIP airport transfers in “luxury vehicles” and 5-star hotel accommodation with breakfast
It comes as research shows that four out of five patients who failed cosmetic procedures abroad admitted they were put off by budget prices.
The survey of more than 100 patients, carried out by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), found that almost 60 per cent paid less than £5,000 for the operation.
Of the total, two-thirds said they would not make the same decision given the process a second chance, while almost half expressed “absolute regret” about the ordeal.
Nora Nugent, president of BAAPS, said: “Potential patients need to understand the risks involved in traveling abroad for cosmetic surgery, beyond the financial savings.”
Concerns about the rise and dangers of financial surgery abroad have been voiced for years.
At least 25 Britons are known to have died during or shortly after the intervention in Turkey in recent years.
Many more have been injured, with some requiring life-saving care on return to the UK for complications such as infections.
While all surgery carries risks, campaigners and surgeons have urged Britons to do their research before opting to go under the knife abroad.
