SUN, SEA & NECROSIS: CHEAP SURGERY ABROAD LEAVING BRITONS DISFIGURED AND COSTING THE NHS MILLIONS

One patient dies and nearly half need further surgery after returning to the UK, largest-ever BAAPS study reveals

Britons chasing cut-price cosmetic surgery abroad are returning home with serious complications that are leaving the NHS to pick up a bill of up to £1.8 million, according to the largest UK study ever conducted on cosmetic tourism.


The study from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) analysed almost 200 cases of patients treated in the UK after undergoing cosmetic procedures overseas.

The findings paint a stark picture.

Nearly three in four patients required medical procedures or surgery after returning home, while almost half needed an operation under general anaesthetic to correct complications.

The most common problems included severe infections, wounds splitting open, tissue death and fluid collections requiring repeated treatment. Tragically, one patient died from a pulmonary embolism.

BAAPS say the rise of social media marketing, influencer endorsements and all-inclusive “surgery holiday” packages are encouraging more people to travel overseas for cosmetic procedures without fully understanding the risks.

Many patients reported receiving only remote consultations before surgery and returning to the UK before adequate recovery or follow-up care had taken place.

Surgeons treating returning patients repeatedly raised concerns about:
• Lack of aftercare arrangements
• Patients being accepted for surgery despite significant health risks
• Multiple major procedures being carried out at the same time
• Patients flying home too soon after surgery
• Poor communication when complications developed

In some cases, surgeons questioned whether similar complications occurring in the UK would have triggered formal investigations.

The study found:
• 76% of complications followed surgery in Turkey
• 93% of patients were women, with an average age of 39.
• Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) was the most common procedure associated with complications.
• 38% had multiple cosmetic procedures performed during a single trip
• 37% suffered wounds that broke down or failed to heal properly
• 28% developed infections
• 24% developed seromas requiring treatment
• 20% suffered tissue necrosis, where skin or fat dies

BAAPS estimate the treatment of these complications cost the NHS between £1.2 million and £1.8 million. The true national figure is likely to be substantially higher.

BAAPS says the study likely represents only a fraction of the actual burden because many complications are managed by emergency departments, breast units, general surgeons, GPs and community services without being captured in the national database.

The findings suggest hundreds more patients may be receiving treatment across the NHS every year.

BAAPS President Nora Nugent said: “People are often sold a dream online, luxury hotels, dramatic before-and-after photos and prices that seem too good to ignore. What is rarely shown are the patients who return home with serious infections, open wounds, dead tissue or life-threatening complications. Cosmetic surgery is real surgery. It carries real risks wherever it is performed. When complications occur overseas, patients often find themselves back in the UK without access to their original surgeon, leaving the NHS to provide emergency treatment and ongoing care.”

BAAPS calls for action
The association is calling for:
• Greater public awareness of cosmetic tourism risks
• Clearer regulation of overseas cosmetic surgery advertising
• Better protection for UK consumers
• Improved NHS monitoring of complications
• Consideration of compulsory complication insurance for overseas cosmetic procedures

Think Before You Fly
BAAPS stresses that many overseas surgeons provide excellent care and that millions of procedures are performed safely worldwide every year.
However, the organisation warns that patients should thoroughly research their surgeon, understand what aftercare is available, check accreditation and ensure they are medically fit for surgery before travelling and to consult guidelines for travelling to Turkey
“A cheaper operation can end up becoming a very expensive complication,” the authors of the study conclude.

Background
The global medical tourism market was estimated to exceed $31 billion in 2024, with cosmetic procedures accounting for approximately one quarter of that market. Cosmetic surgery packages abroad are often marketed at prices 30–80% lower than equivalent procedures in the UK, frequently combined with travel and accommodation offers.

BAAPS established its Cosmetic Tourism Complications Database in 2022 in response to increasing reports from surgeons managing complications in NHS and private practice settings.

Notes to Editors
Study title: Beauty Abroad, Burden at Home: Complications and NHS Impact of Cosmetic Tourism – Insights from the BAAPS National Database published Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2026, Vol 00(0) 1–7
Study period: September 2022 – September 2024
Cases analysed: 198
Data source: British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) Cosmetic Tourism Complications Database
Main finding: Cosmetic tourism complications are creating a significant and growing burden on NHS resources, with a high proportion of patients requiring further procedures and hospital treatment following surgery abroad.
For all media enquiries, please contact pr@baaps.org.uk or call 02076315180
ENDS