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‘Pressure tactics’ of cheap Turkish surgery exposed: Undercover reporter, 24, seeking a

admin — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 12:49:16 +0000

Pressure tactics deployed by Turkish cosmetic surgery clinics were today exposed by a shock investigation.

An undercover reporter, posing as a 24-year-old wanting a Brazilian bum lift (BBL), contacted nine providers across Istanbul.

Within hours, she was offered time-sensitive deals with up to 30 per cent knocked off the total fee and incentives to book multiple surgeries.

Experts today slammed the ‘unsafe and incredibly unscrupulous’ sales tactics that were found in The News Movement’s probe.

Doctors warned Brits contemplating going abroad for cut-price boob jobs, bum lifts and other procedures to think again.

Posing as a 24-year-old from the UK, an undercover reporter from The News Movement contacted several cosmetic surgery clinics across Istanbul. But within hours was offered time sensitive early booking price reductions of up to 30 per cent

Among the Whatsapp messages received from a cosmetic surgery clinic in Turkey, one read: ‘We are offering you a 20 per cent discount valid for 10 days. ‘Pay a 10 per cent deposit and freeze the 20 per cent discount for one year.’ It added: ‘Grab this great chance and benefit from this special time limited offer.’ Another said: ’30 PER CENT DISCOUNT- AVAILABLE FOR 48 HOURS ONLY!’ Later it added: ‘Do not let this opportunity slip! It will only be valid for 48 hours! If you wish to secure your treatment plan for 18 months, you can do so by making a £50 deposit’

A third, after sending photos and answering a series of medical questions offered Brazilian Butt Lift surgery and liposuction with a 20 per cent ‘flash discount’, valid for 10 days. The surgery package, with a hotel stay, cost £2800. The deposit to secure the deal was £280. Just days later, the clinic messaged again, reducing the deposit by a further £50

Standards are notoriously laxer than in the NHS and campaigners say aftercare can be non-existent.

Turkey has become one of the most popular destinations, fuelled by celebrities and influencers who’ve made the four-hour trip in pursuit of revamping their bodies.

Thousands of Brits, particularly women in their 20s and 30s, flock there every year.

Of the nine clinics contacted by The News Movement, five offered discounts on the price of the surgery or price reductions for early booking and surgery.

Among the WhatsApps received from one clinic was a message which read: ‘We are offering you a 20 per cent discount valid for 10 days.

‘Pay a 10 per cent deposit and freeze the 20 per cent discount for one year.

‘Grab this great chance and benefit from this special time limited offer.’

Another clinic said: ’30 PER CENT DISCOUNT- AVAILABLE FOR 48 HOURS ONLY!’

Later it added: ‘Do not let this opportunity slip! It will only be valid for 48 hours!’

‘If you wish to secure your treatment plan for 18 months, you can do so by making a £50 deposit.’

After the undercover reporter sent photos and answered medical questions, a third clinic offered BBL surgery and liposuction with a 20 per cent ‘flash discount’, valid for 10 days.

The surgery package, with a hotel stay, cost £2,800. The deposit to secure the deal was £280.

Just days later, the clinic messaged again, reducing the deposit to just £50.

‘We are excited to extend a special offer to you, available for the next three days only,’ the message read.

‘If you wish to secure your treatment plan for 18 months, you can do so by making a £50 deposit.’

Other sales techniques from clinics involved asking for deposits ranging from £50 to £500 for BBL and liposuction surgery packages.

For decades, Brits have been warned against seeking cheaper surgery in places like Turkey, Eastern Europe, or South East Asia.

Turkey is not inherently more dangerous than other surgical tourism hotspots.

But cheap flights between it and the UK — as well as the rise of the trend combining cosmetic surgery with a holiday — have made it one of the leading destinations for Brits looking to go under the knife.

Paul Harris, consultant plastic surgeon and spokesperson for the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), said he was ‘truly astonished’ by the findings.

He added: ‘The way that patients are being persuaded and preyed upon is just dreadful.

‘It really is shocking… that is almost the best example I’ve ever seen of pressurised selling techniques, all of those, combine it together all in one message trail. It’s unbelievable.’

Mr Harris said ‘pressured selling techniques’ in cosmetic surgeries were banned in the UK more than 10 years ago and it was ‘incredibly unsafe’ for Turkish clinics to be offering discounts and time limits on ‘a very complex part of healthcare’.

Seven Turkish clinics said it was possible to have multiple body and facial surgeries — including a BBL, liposuction, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty and buccal fat removal — under one anaesthesia.

Some clinics said this would be dependent on having appropriate blood test results.

British surgeons have raised the alarm about the rising NHS multi-million bill of fixing botched cosmetic ops performed overseas, with costing the NHS an estimated £100,000 alone

Paul Harris, consultant plastic surgeon and spokesperson for the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), said he was ‘truly astonished’ by the findings. He added: ‘The way that patients are being persuaded and preyed upon is just dreadful

Liposuction that offers to remove up to 15 litres of fat, BBL’s, eye colour changing laser treatments and hymenoplasties are all offered in clinics across Turkey

Mr Harris said it was ‘worrying’ that such combination surgeries could be accepted.

He said: ‘It really concerns me that [the surgeons are] not appropriately trained and that they are operating beyond their level of experience in that training.’

Meanwhile, Mr Navid Jallali, a former consultant surgeon at Imperial College NHS Trust, said: ‘There seems to be a big push for having multiple surgeries and they incentivise this by giving additional discounts.

‘In general, we don’t like doing procedures that will take longer than four-and-a-half hours in the UK.

‘However, the combination being discussed will take well over that even in a very experienced surgeons hand.

‘It is also a very unusual combination of procedures and should have been queried at the outset.’

He added: ‘This is not UK standard in terms of practice and would not be supported by any surgeons in the UK.’

‘From the General Medical Council point of view and actually for any reputable surgeon in the UK, that incentivisation of saying “we can give you a discount if you proceed” should never ever happen.

‘The patient [should] only receive surgery based on the fact that they’re going to gain a benefit and not the fact that the surgery has been done cheap or for a discounted price.’

It comes as MailOnline last month revealed taxpayers last year spent £1.7million on fixing Brits botched by cosmetic surgery carried out abroad.

An audit by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons — shared with MailOnline — showed 111 Brits needed emergency NHS care after returning from places like Turkey in 2022 to go under the knife.

Surgeons reported their patients were lured in by what looked like ‘bargain’ tummy tucks and boob jobs.

Others were deemed too unfit for surgery in the UK.

But some patients were left with flesh-eating bacterial infections and implants bursting through their skin.

Others endured potentially deadly blood clots that required urgent NHS treatment, sometimes within just days of arriving back in the UK.

Some Turkish clinics provide extreme transformations that surgeons in the UK would never dream of performing, either because the procedure is illegal in Britain or is considered too risky.

Responding to the findings from The News Movement, Dr Alex Karidis, a consultant plastic surgeon in the UK, said: ‘I don’t think it’s ethical. I don’t think it’s right.

‘Surgery – that’s not a product that you sell… You’re potentially playing with people’s lives.’

Dr Karidis said a cosmetic surgeon in the UK who offered discounts and incentives would be ‘investigated straightaway and possibly suspended.’

He added: ‘It’s a wild west out there, they can do whatever they want. They don’t play by the same rules.’

Mr Harris acknowledged that while there are ‘reputable’ surgeons in Turkey, it was important for people to do their ‘own research’ and to think ‘very carefully’ before booking cosmetic surgery abroad.

He added: ‘We really need to be informed before making these decisions which will have a lifelong impact on you. This is not like having a haircut or buying some new clothes or going on holiday, this is a big decision that will affect the rest of your life.’

The red flags of getting cosmetic surgery abroad

All surgery carries risk, but it is important to do your research before hopping on a plane to get cheap plastic surgery.

Although it can cost less than getting surgery in the UK, you need to bear in mind that the safety standards may not be the same.

Holiday packages

You should be cautious of any website that sell cosmetic surgery as part of a holiday, the NHS warns.

Some websites sell the idea of sightseeing alongside hotels with breakfast included.

NHS advice adds that if you are looking at holiday packages make sure you have a consultation with a surgeon and don’t just meet a salesperson.

The health service adds that you should not pay to see a surgeon you have never met.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England also echoes the NHS’s concerns and advises to not agree to cosmetic surgery before meeting the surgeon and visiting the hospital.

UK plastic surgeon Veerle Rotsaert said: ‘Travelling long-haul overseas to have surgery done, followed by no proper aftercare, that’s where often things go wrong.

‘Often third party agencies sell surgery without any surgeon ever seeing the patient in person and having a proper consultation until it is actually surgery day.’

Extra costs

Many of the surgeries offered overseas in countries such as Turkey are more affordable than private clinics in the UK.

However, there could be hidden costs.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England urges people to consider the cost for additional flights and hotel stays for future corrective, or touch-up procedures.

It also warns patients to consider what might happen overseas if they pay ahead of time but change their mind before the operation as their right to a refund could vary in different countries.

Choosing the right surgeon

Surgeons and clinics are regulated differently in different countries and standards can vary.

Before traveling abroad for surgery the NHS says you should ask if the surgeon is fully trained in the surgery you want and how long they have been practicing for.

The surgeon should also be fully insured to carry out the surgery you want, says the Royal College of Surgeons of England. It suggests asking to see details of the surgeons insurance.

It is also vital you have a proper consultation with your surgeon before you consent to having the surgery, experts warn.

Risks of flying

Flying and having major surgery increases your risk of getting a blood clot, which can be life threatening.

As a result, the NHS warns people should wait five to seven days to fly after procedures such as breast surgery and liposuction and wait seven to 10 days to fly after facial cosmetic procedures or tummy tucks.

However, some surgeons suggest waiting between two to six weeks before flying depending on the procedure.

Dr Rotsaert explained: ‘This is because first of all, you want patients to stay relatively close to their surgeon in case of any immediate post-op issues.’

He added: Secondly because of the deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism risk associated with the act of surgery, it’s aftermath, as well as prolonged immobilisation.’

Drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and walking about during your flight can help circulation, but this doesn’t completely remove the risk of a blood clot especially having major surgery, the British Association of Plastic Reconstruction and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS).

Aftercare

Follow up care after your surgery is an important part of your treatment. But traveling abroad can make it more complicated.

Before getting surgery outside of the UK consider how long it would take you to travel back to your surgeon if there is a complication, says the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Make sure you have a contact for a named doctor that can deal with any complications, rather than a helpline, experts warn.

You need to also make sure the clinic will deal with any problems and that they will help if you are not happy with your outcome.

In many cases the NHS will not help you unless you have a serious complication which requires emergency or life-saving support.

Source: NHS, BAPRAS and Royal College of Surgeons England.

How cheap Turkish surgery ruined my life: Depressed 46-year-old who spent £7,000 on a

admin — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:50:55 +0000

At least 24 Brits have died as a result of medical tourism trips to Turkey since January 2019, according to the Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Here, MailOnline highlights some of the victims.

Leah Cambridge

Leah Cambridge, 29, suffered a blood clot during a £6,500 Brazilian butt lift surgery in Turkey.

Leah Cambridge, 29, died after having the ‘Brazilian butt lift’ procedure in Turkey

The mother-of-three, from Leeds, died just one day after travelling to an Elite Aftercare clinic in Turkey in August 2018.

The trainee beautician, described as being ‘paranoid about her body’, paid in cash for the procedure after being inspired by pictures on Instagram.

The procedure involved having fat extracted from the waist and injected into the buttocks.

But she suffered a fatal complication when fat was accidentally injected into a vein, causing her to have three heart attacks on the operating table.

Ms Cambridge’s partner Scott Franks told Wakefield Coroner’s Court that the surgeon who carried out the procedure told him he had ‘injected the fat too far into the muscle and it entered her veins’.

Mr Franks said when he flew out to Turkey after his partner died, Dr Ali Uckan, the surgeon who treated Leah, had told him: ‘It’s a guessing game, you can’t see where you are going into.’

Ms Cambridge’s father, Craig, took his own life in 2021 with an inquest held in July last year hearing how he was never able to get past the loss of his daughter.

Diarra Akua Eunice Brown

Diarra Brown, 28, died after having liposuction in Turkey

Diarra Akua Eunice Brown died aged 28, two days after getting liposuction at a clinic in the suburb of Bahcelievler in Istanbul, in October 2021.

She reportedly underwent the operation to have fat removed from her hips.

While the procedure initially appeared to be a success, Ms Brown ‘suddenly’ fell ill while having her dressings changed.

She died just hours later.

Social media posts from family and friends described her as a ‘beautiful soul’ and a ‘close friend’.

‘This must be a dream,’ one post said. ‘Still can’t come to terms with this yet.’

‘I miss you angel. I’m devastated you were taken away way before your time,’ said another.

Shannon Bowe

Shannon Bowe, 28 died after undergoing gastric band surgery in Turkey

Shannon Bowe, from Denny, near Falkirk, died while undergoing gastric band surgery in Turkey in April 2023.

The 28-year-old passed away during the procedure which involves placing a band around the stomach.

Where exactly Ms Bowe had the procedure in Turkey and the complication that led to her death have not been revealed.

In the aftermath of her death, Ms Bowe’s boyfriend Ross Stirling wrote on social media: ‘Sleep tight my angel, love you forever and always.’

Gastric band surgery involves a doctor placing a gastric band around the top of the stomach, creating a small pouch.

When the patient eats, this small pouch fills up more quickly than their stomach normally would, making them feel fuller with less food.

By encouraging them to eat less, the procedure can help patients lose weight.

Melissa Kerr

Melissa Kerr, 31, of Gorleston, Norfolk, died after having a BBL in Turkey

Melissa Kerr, 31, died while undergoing a Brazilian butt lift in Turkey in 2019, just before her wedding.

Ms Kerr traveled to Istanbul’s Medicana Haznedar Hospital in November that year for gluteal augmentation, which can cost up to £3,150.

The psychological wellbeing practitioner, from Gorleston, Norfolk, died from a blocked artery in her lung as a result of undergoing the surgery.

Her twin sister Natasha who set up a Justgiving.com page after her death described her a ‘a pure and beautiful soul inside and out’.

She said: ‘Words cannot describe the pain and heartbreak we are going through, life without her will never be the same again.

‘We miss her deeply and nothing will fill the emptiness we are left with.’

Melissa’s partner Skye Birch said: ‘I will continue to love you with all my heart until my last breath.’

Ms Kerr also worked as a volunteer helping domestic violence victims and supporting people through bereavement.

Abimbola Ajoke Bamgbose

Abimbola Ajoke Bamgbose, 38, died after liposuction in Turkey

Abimbola Ajoke Bamgbose, a 38-year-old social worker, from Dartford, Kent, died in August 2020 after undergoing liposuction surgery in Turkey.

The mother-of-three bought an overseas package deal with Mono Cosmetic Surgery after becoming fed up with people asking her if she was pregnant, according to her husband.

A post-mortem examination found that Mrs Bamgbose suffered perforations to her bowel during the surgery, with the cause of death given as peritonitis with multiple organ failure.

Peritonitis is an infection of the peritoneum, the inner lining of the tummy which covers vital internal organs like the kidneys, liver and bowel.

Her husband Moyosore Olowo told an inquest he was unaware his wife had travelled abroad for cosmetic surgery, instead believing she had simply gone on a holiday with her friends.

It was not until Mrs Bamgbose called her husband to say she was suffering from stomach pains following the procedure that he found out what had happened.

Mr Olowo said his wife had visited a private medical practice in the UK for surgery but added that the cost had been too high for her to have the treatment in Britain.

Carol Keenan

Carol Keenan, 54, died after having a BBL and tummy tuck in Turkey

Carol Keenan, 54, died six days after undergoing a combined Brazilian butt lift and tummy tuck in Turkey.

The grandmother, of Glenrothes, Fife, paid £7,000 for the procedures at a private hospital in Istanbul in 2022 after becoming anxious about the way her body looked.

Ms Keenan also accepted the offer of free abdominal muscle repair surgery shortly before she was taken into the operating theatre.

But she died before she was due to have a final check-up and fly home.

Speaking to MailOnline in April, her family said they are still waiting for the results of her autopsy 11 months on from her death.

Her daughter Leonie Keenan, 32, said: ‘My mother was a fit and healthy individual. She was a very petite size ten and she kept in shape by walking everywhere and going swimming.

‘She was a very active grandmother who loved bouncing on the trampoline with the kids – but she was not happy with her body even though everyone told her she looked great.

‘She set her heart on having surgery after seeing stories about other people and celebrities having procedures. I don’t know if it was like a mid-life crisis.’

HEALTH NOTES: Take a shine to cheap sunscreen

admin — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 07:35:15 +0000

HEALTH NOTES: Take a shine to cheap sunscreen as researchers claim supermarket own-brand bottles offer just as much protection

By Mail on Sunday Reporter

Updated: 18:13 EDT, 17 June 2023

Don’t waste cash on pricey sunscreen – supermarket own-brand bottles offer just as much protection, it has been claimed.

Researchers from review website Which? tested the efficacy of 12 SPF30 products. Each cream was applied to a patch of skin and an ultraviolet light was shone over it.

The team timed how long it took for the skin to turn red, both with and without the suncream, to see which product offered the longest-lasting protection.

The £3, 200ml Asda Protect Moisturising Sun Lotion topped the list. Meanwhile, the priciest cream – Ultrasun’s £22 bottle – was no better than Asda’s and just as easy to apply, according to testers.

Researchers from review website Which? tested the efficacy of 12 SPF30 products

Meditation can ease severe pain

Meditation and posture training can relieve pain as well as strong medication.

A team from the University of Warwick asked 300 patients on addictive painkillers, called opioids, to take part in a non-drug intervention, which included a two-month course of stress management, posture advice and mindfulness meditation.

After a year, a third of those in the non-drug group had come off medication and saw no difference in their severity of pain, compared to less than one in ten not on the course. Prof Sam Eldabe, pain expert at The James Cook University Hospital, said: ‘Our study shows opioids can be stopped within no actual worsening of the pain.’

About half of all drug poisoning deaths registered in 2021 involved an opioid.

A camera that can be swallowed can spot stomach cancer.

Scientists in the US have developed a tiny capsule containing the recording device that investigates stomach tissue for signs of disease. Unlike other models before it, this device can be directed around the stomach by a doctor.

It is attached to a magnet, which pairs with a joystick on the outside of the body – as the joystick moves, so does the magnet. Its developers say the capsule could replace endoscopies, where a tube with a camera is threaded down the throat and into the stomach.

Dr Andrew Meltzer, part of the team behind the tool at George Washington University, said: ‘Endoscopies are invasive procedures, not to mention costly with the anaesthesia and time off work. Magnetically controlled capsules could be used as a quick and easy way to screen for ulcers or stomach cancer.’

How to book a cheap flight: Experts reveal their top tips

admin — Sun, 14 May 2023 22:05:13 +0000

Why you should NEVER book flights on a Friday – and always travel on a Wednesday: Experts reveal their top tips for bagging cheap airfares

Expedia analyzed millions of flights to find the cheapest time to book
Its findings show the best time to buy is a Sunday while Friday is worst
It comes as travelers are warned to prepare for a ‘summer of hell’

By Helena Kelly Consumer Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 13:05 EDT, 14 May 2023 | Updated: 13:13 EDT, 14 May 2023

Travelers searching for the cheapest deals should book flights on a Sunday but fly on a Wednesday, experts have revealed.

A study by online travel agent Expedia analyzed millions of flights and found that booking a journey on the last day of the week could shave up to 15 percent off the cost of your airfare.

By comparison making the booking on a Friday could add around 5 percent to the total cost as prices are driven up by households planning last minute vacations for the weekend.

Analysts also found that travelers who scheduled their journey on a Wednesday compared to a Sunday or Monday saved them up to 15 percent on domestic flights and 10 percent on international travel.

Experts also recommended that travelers book at least one month in advance when travelling within the US.

Travelers looking for the cheapest deals should book flights on a Sunday but fly on a Wednesday, a study by Expedia found

Analysts also found that travelers who scheduled their journey for a Wednesday compared to a Sunday or Monday saved them up to 15 percent on domestic flights and 10 percent on international travel

The ‘sweet spot’ for buying domestic flights is between 28 and 35 days out, analysts said.

They warned that on domestic travel customers actually end up paying more if they book between three-and-a-half to six months in advance.

However on international travel they recommended booking flights at least six months in advance – which could save customers 10 percent against those who buy within two months of departure.

On top of that analysts recommended travelling during ‘off-peak’ dates – avoiding the height of summer.

The revelation comes after it was revealed airline ticket prices for domestic flights had shot up more than 30 percent in the last year.

International flights were as much as 200 percent more expensive, according to data from the American Automobile Association.

This is despite the fact that standards are plummeting. Dailymail.com revealed last month that delays had reached a ten-year high.

Data from flight tracking platform showed that a shocking 21.4 percent of flights in the last year have been held up by an average of 50 minutes.

And the problem is only set to worsen this summer as travelers have been told to prepare for a ‘summer of hell.’

Nine national and two regional airlines were evaluated by WalletHub using recent data from the Department of Transportation – Southwest Airlines was found to be worst airline of them all for a second year in a row

Experts have warned travelers to prepare for a ‘summer of hell’ amidst reports of increased flight delays and cancellations

The cost of international travel has shot up more than 200 percent in the last year, according to data from the American Automobile Association

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently warned it was expecting 2023 summer air travel volumes to overtake pre-pandemic figures.

Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said: ‘This summer’s travel demand will be as strong as we’ve seen since before the pandemic, and potentially the strongest ever.

‘That kind of demand in a system that is woefully underfunded and understaffed is likely to create substantial frustrations among travelers.’

The aviation industry ground to a speeding half during the pandemic and airlines were handed a $60billion bailout.

As lockdown restrictions eased, firms found they could not ramp up quickly enough to accommodate the surge in demand.

Last summer, tens of thousands of flights were delayed and canceled.

In a recent study, eleven of the largest airlines were ranked for best overall experience – with Southwest Airlines coming out worst and Delta Airlines best.

Delta Airlines scored 66.79 points out of a total of 100 and was also the most reliable, meaning it had the fewest canceled flights, delays, baggage loses and denied boardings.

Southwest Airlines stood out as the worst airline evaluated, both overall but also in terms of safety.