When researching face lift cost in the UK, you will find that there is little difference between providers. The stark contrast is when you compare having surgery here in the UK with having a facelift abroad. Face life cost in the UK can be double that of other countries - why is this?
Typical facelift cost UK
As a general guide, a facelift in the UK is likely to cost £7,000 - £9,000; here at Manchester Plastic Surgery our guide price for a full facelift is £7,760. (You can find out more about our treatment costs here.) The cost takes into account the time of your surgeon and their support team, including your anaesthetist, nursing care and your accommodation, plus follow-up support.
Is a cheaper facelift worth it?
You can get cheaper facelifts in other countries, eastern Europe, for example, but there are risks. The NHS says ‘cosmetic surgery abroad often costs less than in the UK, but make sure you weigh up any potential savings against the potential risks. Standards may not be as strict or guidelines as tightly controlled when outside the UK’.
The issue of cost
Making the significant decision to undergo plastic surgery can be costly in more than one way.
Naturally, the procedure itself is a significant investment, but making misinformed decisions and going under the knife at the wrong clinic can leave you with more than just money issues.
Almost every week there is a news headline warning of the dangers of travelling abroad for cheap plastic surgery. All too often, surgery is cheaper in another country because practitioners have less stringent standards to adhere to, and much less official regulation, than here in the UK.
The temptation to go abroad to save money might be there, but there are good reasons why the procedure is more expensive in the UK than it is in other countries. Guaranteeing both your safety and good quality results is, we believe, more than worth the additional costs.
Why does it cost more to have a facelift in the UK?
- Reduced risk
No surgery is completely risk-free but it’s more difficult to find out if your surgeon in another country is fully trained in the procedure you are considering. There are differences in standards and qualifications, so comparisons are not always easy.
- Access to follow up treatment
If complications arise after you’ve returned home, some clinics in other countries will not provide follow-up treatment either at all or at the required standard. You’ll need to be clear about what follow-up support is on offer before you agree to treatment, and it’s not always easy to be completely sure about what you’re signing up to. You’ll also need to check you have the right insurance cover, and that you can afford the time and the travel expense of returning for follow-up treatment.
In the UK, surgeons are responsible for providing follow up treatment to rectify an issue. This is not necessarily the case if you have your surgery abroad, as aftercare is not usually plain sailing, nor is it always to the same quality as the care provided in the UK.
- Issues with communication
Having surgery abroad could lead to miscommunications because of language differences or barriers. A good surgeon should ensure that the patient is fully aware of the procedure, its limitations, possible complications. As well as this the surgeon should also discuss whether there are any alternatives that might give similar results. One of the risks of undergoing surgery abroad is the chance that these necessary discussions may not happen.
Feeling confident
Going abroad to have surgery also normally means that you haven’t visited the hospital before or met the team of surgeons who are going to be carrying out your surgery. You should never undergo invasive surgery at a hospital that you’ve never seen. Nor should you go without having consultations with the surgeon who will treat you.
In the UK, a cooling off period is allocated after the initial consultation, giving you time to think about whether surgery is right for you.
Worth the investment?
Plastic surgery should leave you feeling happy about the prospect of fantastic results - not worried about what will happen if things go wrong. As such, your decision should not rest on cost alone.
Visit our recovery and cost pages for more information or get in touch to arrange an initial consultation with one of our experienced plastic surgeons.
