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Cosmetic surgery abroad: how to plan it safely, and what to do if your wound goes wrong

Medically reviewed by Dr Sanjay Parashar, MBBS, MS, MCh (Plastic Surgery), DipNB · Plastic surgeon, Dubai London Hospital, Jumeirah · Published 11 November 2026 · Last reviewed 11 November 2026

Many of our own patients fly in from abroad for their operations, so we are not against medical travel. Problems usually begin when the choice is driven by price alone: a surgeon whose training cannot be checked, a facility that is not properly equipped, or no plan for what happens after the flight home. When surgery is cheap, the savings often come out of safety and aftercare, and the patient carries those risks.

Choosing where to have surgery

• The surgeon: a fully trained, experienced plastic surgeon who is licensed where they operate. Ask about their qualifications, how often they perform your operation and who will look after you if something goes wrong.
• The facility: a licensed hospital or accredited day-surgery centre with anaesthetists, resuscitation equipment and overnight beds.
• The aftercare plan: agreed before you book, not after something goes wrong.

How we plan surgery for travelling patients

When patients travel to us, we plan around the flight home from the very first consultation:

• We choose operations that are safe to travel with. Not every procedure suits a patient who will leave the country soon afterwards.
• We do fewer procedures at one time. Combining many operations raises the risk of complications after surgery, so we would rather stage them.
• We choose stitches and techniques with travel in mind, to lower the risk of the wound opening so it is secure enough to fly with.
• We set a planned stay before you fly. Each operation needs its own recovery time in Dubai before travel (see the table below).
• You take a written plan home: your operation notes and a wound-care protocol, so the doctor who sees you at home knows exactly what was done and what to watch for.
• A doctor near you: through our network of plastic surgery colleagues around the world, we can often arrange a surgeon near you to see you after you return.

How long to stay in Dubai before flying home

These are the usual minimum stays. Your own travel date is set at your consultation.

Your own health matters as much as the operation. Age, general health and the medicines you take can all mean a longer stay. Risk factors such as obesity, being very tall or very short, the contraceptive pill and inherited clotting disorders raise the risk of blood clots during travel [1]. Tell us about any previous blood clot, hormone treatment or long-term medicines at your consultation, so we can plan your travel date and any blood-thinning cover.

Why the length of the flight matters

Two things raise the risk of blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis, DVT): recent surgery, and sitting still for a long journey. Together, they add up.

• The World Health Organization's WRIGHT project found that the risk of a blood clot roughly doubles after journeys of four hours or more, and rises further with longer journeys and with several flights close together [1].
• For healthy travellers the absolute risk is low, about 1 in 6,000 for a flight over four hours, but recent surgery is one of the risk factors identified in those studies [1].
• The raised risk does not end when the plane lands; it lasts for several weeks after the journey [2].
• UK haematology guidance advises well-fitted below-knee compression stockings for travellers at the highest risk on journeys over 3 hours [2]. This is why we treat anything over 3 hours as a long flight.
• International guidelines recommend walking, calf exercises and an aisle seat on long journeys, with compression stockings, and in some cases blood-thinning injections, for travellers at increased risk [3][4].

On the flight home

• Move your legs: flex and point your ankles and squeeze your calves every 30 minutes.
• Walk: book an aisle seat and walk the aisle every 1–2 hours when it is safe to do so.
• Breathe deeply: take 10 slow, deep breaths every hour.
• Raise your legs when you can, for example on a bag under the seat in front.
• Drink water regularly. Avoid alcohol and sleeping tablets.
• Take your medicines on time, including any blood-thinning injections we prescribe. Do not add aspirin unless we tell you to.
• Wear your compression garment and anti-embolism stockings for the whole journey.
• Carry your papers in your hand luggage: operation notes, wound-care protocol and our contact details.

Get urgent help during or after the flight if you have pain or swelling in one calf, chest pain, sudden breathlessness or you cough up blood. Tell the doctors you have had recent surgery.

Operations that are often better done in your home country

Some procedures carry a higher risk of wound problems or need closer follow-up, so it is usually wiser to have them where you live:

• Thigh lift: a high risk of the wound gaping, typically around days 6–7, just when many people would be flying home.
• 360° belt lipectomy (body lift): a long wound around the whole body.
• Several major operations at once, such as an arm lift and a thigh lift together.
• Mommy makeover: often several procedures at once, which may need blood-clot (DVT) prevention and closer monitoring afterwards.

If your wound goes wrong after you fly home

Go to an emergency department straight away if you have a high fever or shivering, redness or swelling that is spreading quickly, severe pain out of proportion to the wound, grey or black skin, or calf pain, chest pain or breathlessness.

Otherwise, act early: a small opening is far easier to treat than a large one. Bring your operation notes, the list of medicines you were given and photos of the wound, and let your surgeon know. We treat wound problems after surgery abroad without judging where or why you had it, using VAC therapy and, where possible, closing the wound with the surrounding skin instead of skin grafts.

See how we treated necrotising fasciitis after arm and thigh lifts done abroad, healed without skin grafts, and our practical guide wound problems after surgery abroad: what to do back home.

Common questions

Is it safe to have cosmetic surgery abroad?

It can be, with a qualified, experienced plastic surgeon, a licensed facility and a clear aftercare plan agreed before you book. The risks rise when the choice is driven by price alone.

How soon can I fly home after cosmetic surgery?

It depends on the operation and the flight. As a guide, from 4 days after liposuction on a short flight to 2 weeks after a tummy tuck on a long flight, and 2 to 4 weeks after combined operations. Your surgeon should set the date before surgery.

Why does a long flight need a longer stay?

Sitting still for four hours or more roughly doubles the risk of a blood clot, and recent surgery raises it further. Waiting longer, moving during the flight and wearing compression stockings all reduce the risk.

Which operations are better done in my home country?

Thigh lifts, 360° body lifts, several major operations together (such as arm and thigh lifts) and mommy makeovers, because of the higher risk of wound problems and the need for closer follow-up.

Can you treat my wound if another surgeon operated abroad?

Yes. We see patients after surgery in many countries, and with your permission we keep your original surgeon informed.

References

1. World Health Organization. WHO Research Into Global Hazards of Travel (WRIGHT) project: final report of phase I. Geneva: WHO; 2007.
2. Watson HG, Baglin TP. Guidelines on travel-related venous thrombosis. Br J Haematol. 2011;152(1):31-34.
3. Kahn SR, Lim W, Dunn AS, et al. Prevention of VTE in nonsurgical patients: Antithrombotic Therapy and Prevention of Thrombosis, 9th ed: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 2012;141(2 Suppl):e195S-e226S.
4. Schünemann HJ, Cushman M, Burnett AE, et al. American Society of Hematology 2018 guidelines for management of venous thromboembolism: prophylaxis for hospitalized and nonhospitalized medical patients. Blood Adv. 2018;2(22):3198-3225.
5. British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. Cosmetic Tourism Guidelines. September 2023.

This article gives general information and does not replace medical advice. Treatment decisions are made only after an in-person examination. In an emergency, go to the nearest emergency department.