The Advantages of Medical Travel to the Philippines: The Hospitality of the Filipinos

Medical tourists, when they visit a particular country, not only meet the doctor and other health care personnel, but they also have to deal with other people : in the airport, hotel, shopping areas, and other sights. For visitors to enjoy their stay, they not only have to be able to communicate well with these people, but they also have to feel welcome.

The Filipinos are well known for their exceptional hospitality and friendliness. With an ever ready smile on their faces, they are always willing to offer help and advice. Visitors are always welcome and held in high esteem. Filipinos love entertaining foreign visitors. It is said that there is no country in Southeast Asia where foreigners are so well accepted as in the Philippines. It is not uncommon for them to rate foreigners over themselves and give them special treatment.

Read more of these articles:
How to Select a Qualified Plastic Surgeon
The Cosmetic Surgery Scene in the Philippines

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having affordable cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines

The Advantages of Medical Travel to the Philippines: English is Widely Spoken

It is often said that the Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world. This greater fluency in English is an important advantage for a service industry such healthcare and it is an essential for cosmetic surgery. Good communication between a plastic surgeon and his patient is very important especially during the consultation period. The surgeon must be able to clearly understand what the patient’s specific preferences are. Patients should be able to ask questions and discuss needs and expectations to make an informed judgement about the procedures they are considering. Furthermore, most Filipinos speak English and can communicate with foreigners, helping to make the recuperation easier and the vacation period more enjoyable.

Read more of these articles:
How to Select a Qualified Plastic Surgeon
The Cosmetic Surgery Scene in the Philippines

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having affordable cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines

The Advantages of Medical Travel to the Philippines: World Class Healthcare Facilities

Medical tourists who have never been to the Philippines often wonder about the health facilities available in what seems to be a far off tropical country. There have even been posts in forums dissuading patients from considering the Philippines for their medical needs. They don't know that the Philippines has numerous facilities that offer professional medical expertise and state-of-the-art, world class technology.

For example, the Manila Doctors Hospital, with its new Aesthetic Surgery Center, is the first ISO Certified Hospital in Manila. The St. Luke's Medical Center has been picked by the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and the medical schools of New York’s two Ivy League colleges, Columbia University and Cornell University to be their International Affiliate, acknowledging the availability of world-class healthcare in the Philippines. And the list goes on. With the commitment to excellent patient care and a comprehensive range of diagnostic and therapeutic services available, medical tourists to the Philippines can be assured of world-class healthcare comparable to the best in the world.

Read more of these articles:
How to Select a Qualified Plastic Surgeon
The Cosmetic Surgery Scene in the Philippines

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having affordable cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines

The Advantages of Medical Travel to the Philippines: Skilled Doctors

Another advantage that the Philippines offers to medical tourists is that in the Philippines, there are qualified, well-trained and highly skilled plastic surgeons who can do the procedures. Although cost savings are significant when you choose to come to the Philippines for cosmetic surgery, cost shouldn't be the only factor to consider, since it can cost more to remedy poor results done by unqualified cosmetic surgery providers. Lower cost doesn't mean sacrificing quality of care. Whether you are having cosmetic surgery done abroad or in your home country, choosing the right doctor is the single most important decision you will make. Choosing the right surgeon will ensure the quality of care you will receive.

In the Philippines, there are plastic & reconstructive surgeons who have had formal training in plastic and reconstructive surgery and have studied in some of Asia's best medical schools. Philippine medical and nursing curricula are more difficult than many in Southeast Asia. Some Filipino plastic surgeons have acquired their postgraduate or fellowship training from well-known institutions in the U.S. and other developed countries and have been mentored by leading American plastic surgeons. To enhance their expertise, they regularly attend various seminars and conferences worldwide, where new techniques in plastic and cosmetic surgery are introduced. Thus, they can provide equal or greater quality surgical care than U.S. hospitals at a fraction of the price.

However, patients should be aware that the greater acceptance and growth of cosmetic surgery among the general public has encouraged many Filipino doctors to perform cosmetic surgery, but not all of them have trained as plastic surgeons. Once doctors get their medical degrees, they may practice any specialty, even if they have not completed advanced training in the field they have chosen. And so, a doctor who performs cosmetic plastic surgery is not necessarily trained as a plastic surgeon. Thus, it is essential for patients to choose a qualified plastic surgeon with the training and experience that is essential for the success of the surgery. It is recommended that the patient choose a plastic surgeon who is duly certified by the Philippine Board of Plastic Surgery, the only board recognized by the Philippine College of Surgeons to certify plastic surgeons in the Philippines.

Read more of these articles:
How to Select a Qualified Plastic Surgeon
The Cosmetic Surgery Scene in the Philippines

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having affordable cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines

Cosmetic Surgery Vacation Tips

Patients who are considering cosmetic surgery vacations should know the following:

1. In order to maximize their vacation time, patients should have their blood tests done in their respective countries prior to their departure and must communicate the results to their prospective surgeon.

2. If you are 40 years old and above, it is best to have your cardiologist or internist examine you and issue a written cardiovascular clearance that you are physically fit to undergo cosmetic surgery.

3. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure.

4. Allot a minimum of 7 days for your recovery period. Cosmetic surgery is still surgery, so it must not be considered lightly.

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines

Cosmetic Surgery for Traveling Patients

It is the middle of November already and it is that time of the year when many Filipinos working abroad start coming home to the Philippines for the holidays. It has been my experience that many of our Filipino balikbayans decide to have cosmetic surgery with only a few days remaining in their vacation.

Last week my brother referred a friend who wanted blepharoplasty immediately because she was scheduled to leave for abroad the next day! I requested my brother to tell his friend to defer her plans for the surgery.

My advice for those who are contemplating cosmetic surgery in the Philippines as part of their vacation, is to allot from one to weeks recovery period after the operation. This much time is needed for the swelling to subside and for the bruising to disappear. The first 3 days after the operation are especially critical, since many of the complications after surgery occur within this time period.

Stitches will also be taken out during this time period of 1 to 2 weeks postop. Plastic surgeons usually do not use absorbable sutures for skin closure as these incite more inflammatory reaction and more scarring. Instead we use nonabsorbable sutures made of nylon or similar nonreactive material which will need to be taken out early to avoid ugly scars. Patients who undergo blepharoplasty usually have the stitches taken out after 3 days. For other facial plastic surgery procedures, stitches are taken out 5 to 7 days postop. For stitches in the chest and extremities, stitch removal may be delayed up to 2 weeks postop to ensure that the wound is closed.

For those contemplating on having cosmetic surgery during their vacation, my advice is to first review all the activities you intend to undertake, such as reunions, parties, shopping, sightseeing, etc. and prioritize your time allocation. Schedule the surgery for the time period when you have accomplished all your social obligations. Most patients would not want to be seen by others in the immediate postoperative period, especially after facial cosmetic surgery with its accompanying swelling and bruising.

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having affordable cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines

On Cosmetic Surgery Travel/Vacation Packages

I have spent this morning surfing the internet regarding cosmetic surgery travel packages being offered in various countries like Thailand and South Africa.

I believe that the time is ripe for the Philippines to be a major destination for medical tourism. We have many qualified and well-trained doctors who have acquired their postgraduate or fellowship training from well-known institutions in the U.S.A. and have been mentored by leading plastic surgeons.

In my practice, an increasing number of my patients are based abroad. Many of them are immigrants to the United States who come back to the Philippines for a vacation to visit their relatives here. An increasing number of patients are overseas contract workers based in Europe (notably from Italy and Switzerland), the Middle East, Japan, and HongKong. They decided to include cosmetic surgery as part of their vacation because of their trust in our surgical expertise, combined with the fact that costs here are remarkably lower compared to other countries like the U.S. , U.K., Singapore, Australia, and South Africa.

The affordable cost of cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines has also attracted an increasing number of patients of other nationalities. They come to the Philippines to avail of the excellent medical and surgical services that we can offer them. They have also pleasantly discovered the warm hospitality of the Filipinos and the beauty of this tropical paradise of 7,100 islands.

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having affordable cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines

Aptos Facelift

The Philippine Association of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons held a seminar on November 3, 2004, featuring the Aptos technology for facial contouring. This nonsurgical approach to facial lifting utilizes the use of patented Aptos threads, wires, springs and needles.

The guest speaker was none other than Dr. Marlen Sulamanidze, the Russian scientist, inventor and plastic surgeon who obtained world wide patents on his Aptos threads, also known as Russian threads. These threads are polypropylene threads with fine cogs or barbs cut into the thread; the barbs anchor onto facial tissue as the surgeon lifts the sagging skin in order to obtain a rejuvenated new look. The threads can be applied to brow, forehead, neck, jaw line and cheek lifting.

Dr. Sulamanidze claims that the threads can support the tissues in their new position for years. However the longest follow-up pictures he showed were only 4 months post-application of Aptos threads, although he claims in his brochure that he has been using it since 1998. My initial impression is that the Aptos thread will have its best application for a select group of patients with thin sagging skin. Just looking at the before-and-after pictures, it seems to me that patients with ample facial fat do not seem to have as good results compared to patients with thin skin.

However, when one compares the Aptos thread to the traditional face-lift with all its risks, trauma, suffering, prolonged downtime and high cost, I think it is a technology which will have greater acceptance and application in the coming years.

More about the Aptos Thread Lift

Please feel free to email Dr. Lasa if you have any questions.

Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Philippines
Information about procedures, prices, selecting a qualified surgeon
and having cosmetic plastic surgery in the Philippines