The rise of the nip and tuck holiday

Last year over 50,000 Britons traveled abroad for low cost medical treatment, with trips for cosmetic surgery and dentistry among the most popular. A rapidly growing number of UK residents are now combining a few weeks in the sun with surgery for popular procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction, tummy-tucks and teeth whitening.

Huge savings can be made by going abroad for treatment and this growing trend for medical tourism is set to soar with many people choosing to travel to exotic places as far a field as Malaysia and India with locations like Spain, Cyprus and Belgium among the most popular among British medical tourists.

An independent survey commissioned for TreatmentAbroad shows that savings of up to 80 per cent can be made on some cosmetic surgery and dental work with a tummy-tuck costing about £4,450 in Britain, whereas in Belgium it is only about £2,400.

The internet is the obvious first place medical tourists look to for advice on traveling abroad for treatment but with such a large number of countries offering competitively priced surgery and with so much choice it can be hard to make the right decision.

With over 70,000 visitors a month, treatmentabroad.net is the most visited site on the web for those looking for information about cost effective surgery and medical treatments abroad. The site provides clear advice on all types of treatment available and has information on destinations as far a field as Morocco and India for procedures like hip replacements and cataract removal.

To make it easier for those wishing to travel abroad for surgery there are now many companies offering packages, which include travel, surgery and accommodation. Keith Pollard of Treatmentabroad.net explains that:

“Many clinics and medical tourism companies are now offering an all-in package embracing all procedure, travel and accommodation costs that may offer additional savings. Patients who have become ‘medical tourists’ have been extremely positive about their experience and the quality of care they have received.”

Treatmentabroad.net is full of reliable, practical advice on going overseas for elective, cosmetic surgery and dentistry. The site will help potential medical tourists make the most informed decisions based on best destination and healthcare provider.

Debi Robinson, one such patient from Middlesborough, used Treatmentabroad.net to find a clinic in Eastern Europe. She paid £2,500 to have loose skin removed from her arms and stomach area which, even with the cost of accommodation and flights, meant that she paid less than if she'd undergone the same procedure in the UK.

"The difference in price was huge," she revealed. "I would have to have saved up for ages to get it done in Britain.

"In Budapest, I was able to have the surgery and stay on for a short holiday - for less money."

To download a copy of Treatment Abroad’s Guide to Medical Tourism go to Treatmentabroad.net.