Brazil or Bust!

Today, many are crossing borders in search of medical immediacy and lower cost healthcare due to rising costs and longer waits at home. Medical tourism is now a global phenomenon with new regions on the rise as several countries continue to capitalize on their areas of expertise from the Thai tuck to the Brazilian booty. Whether you’re looking for a heart valve, hip or a lift, do your research well in advance, as the cream will rise to the top. Here are three red-hot regions and three facilities where the pleasure far outweighs the pain.

Brazil or Bust!

Brazil, known as the world capital of plastic surgery, has a long history in the market. According to Michael Boeckle, proprietor of Cosmetic Vacations based in Brazil, it’s all about quality, not quantity. Boeckle and Brazil take the business very seriously. Unlike in the U.S., where many procedures are simply done in an office, in Brazil they are not only done in a hospital, but in specific, plastic-surgery-only hospitals.

While clients flock to Brazil from all over the world, a shocking 90 percent of their clients are American. The trend for Americans is to focus on the body first — breasts, lipo, tucks and the world-renowned Brazilian booty. Europeans, on the other hand, are more likely to go face first, with body procedures coming in second.

The Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery prohibits the listing of prices online or otherwise as all treatments and procedures are extremely personalized. “We are not selling used cars,” according to Boeckle. But, expect a 30 to 50 percent decrease from U.S. fees. A new trend with Cosmetic Vacations will be visits to U.S. cities starting this fall, where doctors will work one on one with potential patients. All the guesswork will be worked out well in advance. Expect to stay a minimum of one week and as long as three or four in Rio, Porto Bay or the Copacabana Palace

- Karen Loftus

Article published in Z!nk Magazine