The Stanley Rubenti Medical Tourism Blog

Cost of Penis Enlargement Surgery: Too High For Comfort

Is The Cost of Penis Enlargement Surgery Worth It?

Many men feel uncomfortable about the size of their organ, and if you're reading this, you might have questions of your own.  But before you rush out for corrective surgery, consider our friend, Bob.  He opted for penis enlargement surgery, which cost him about $6,000.  Unfortunately, the surgery didn't go well, and he had to pay an additional $7,500 for corrective surgery, suffered mental trauma, and is permanently scarred physically, emotionally, and sexually. 

Whether to increase the length or to increase the girth, is the cost of penis enlargement surgery really worth it?  Probably not.  The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the American Urological Association, and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) have all issued policy statements against penis enhancement.  And according to the Mayo Clinic, most men fall within the normal range when it comes to the size of their penises.  Studies have proven that even men with small organs, medically known as micro-penises (less than 3 inches when erect) are capable of enjoying a fulfilling sex life and fathering children.  Penis enlargement surgery should be considered a last resort due to inherent safety considerations.  Getting physically fit, losing a paunch, trimming of hair in the genital region, and talking to a counselor often help.

What If You're Dead Set on the Procedure Anyway?

Despite the warnings listed above, an increasing number of men continue to opt for penis enlargement surgery, often through plastic surgery financing.  Before signing up for a package, however, you should explore all options available.  The repayment schedule should be carefully worked out, keeping all potential expenses in mind (remember what happened to Bob).  Alternatively, you might consider medical tourism to countries like Thailand.  The Land of Smiles has long enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for its male enhancement procedures.  Excellent hospitals, courteous and well-trained staff, exotic locations to visit after surgery, a wide range of local and international cuisine, pubs, discos, and malls, all contribute in making Thailand one of the most visited destinations for medical tourism.  But before your opt for phalloplasty and medical tourism, do talk to a counselor and your partner.  Sometimes talking is all that’s required to boost your confidence.  You might discover that you don't need the surgery at all, and you can simply visit Thailand for a wellness vacation instead.

Will Universal Health Care Level Medical Playing Fields?

Can’t Afford High Priced Cosmetic Surgery? Medical Tourism Can Help

Ever find yourself wondering how much blepharoplasty, more commonly known as eyelid surgery, costs?  Most of us don’t have the disposable income for the thought to even cross our minds.  Others either have the money to afford eyelid surgery or feel strongly enough to come up with the money for the surgery.  Either way, saving money has a common appeal to those who have, and those who have not.  Over the past couple of decades, medical tourism has proven to help save patients enough money that even the haves may be more likely to consider such elective procedures as blepharoplasty.  Low cost of living and minimal overhead costs make it easier for Filipino, Thai, and Brazilian doctors to provide affordable health care. 

Medical Tourism Helping Usher in Affordable Health Care

For the more than 750,000 US patients in 2007 who traveled abroad for health care wondering “how much will knee, heart, or even eyelid surgery cost,” medical tourism has been answering quite affordably.  The phenomenon has also seized the attention of insurance providers and employers.  They are recognizing the savings and value associated with medical tourism.  According to Jonathan Edelheit, president of the Medical Tourism Association, “With an economic recession, employers simply cannot ignore the savings [from medical tourism].” 

Universal Health Care, Medical Tourism May Help Each Other

President Obama’s push for universal health care is one of many telltale signs of the severe lack of affordability in US health care.  Furthermore, the growing numbers of patients turning to medical tourism to help them afford critical, or even the most basic care, paint an even clearer picture.  Unfortunately, restructuring the US health care system will take longer than many patients can reasonably wait to see a doctor or receive much needed treatment.  Health care officials can, however, learn from the successes and best practices of medical tourism as it helps globalize affordable health care moving the entire industry one step closer to universal coverage.

Has Your Employer Added Medical Vacations to Your Medical Coverage?

More Employers Adding Medical Vacation Coverage to Benefits Packages

If your employer hasn’t added medical vacations to your coverage, be patient.  A growing number of companies are beginning to fund medical tourism to places like Thailand, India, or Singapore for low priced medical procedures ranging from braces to ear surgery.  An increasing wave of US patients—over 750,000 in 2007 alone—have travelled abroad for affordable medical treatment.  As a testament to the continued growth of medical tourism, those numbers are expected to reach 6 million or more by the year 2016.  Rather than miss out on the tremendous opportunity to save and inexpensively incentivize employees, businesses are opting to add, rather than shun, traveling abroad for health care.   

Cost Savings in Thailand May Mean Safer Health Care For You

Despite concerns that low priced health care might mean that your ear, knee, or breast surgery would lack the quality you'd expect back home, medical tourism destination countries like Thailand have actually been able to mirror, if not improve the quality and safety of health care at lower prices than in the United States, Canada, or many European countries.  Countries practicing medical tourism have leveraged the low costs of labor and living to optimize technology, facilities, and medical staffs.  For example, in the United States, 71 cents per dollar spent on health care covers personnel costs, as opposed to 18 cents per dollar in medical tourism destination countries.  In turn, some foreign hospitals can provide safer, higher quality health care for far less than patients would receive at home. 

Imagine a Medical Vacation to Thailand “on” Your Employer

Those destination countries aren’t the only ones cashing in on the medical tourism phenomenon.  Employers have been exploring the advantages of including medical vacation coverage to their benefits packages to save money.  As a patient, that means, not only can you save significant amounts of money on your medical care, but you may also be able to take a “vacation” under your new coverage in the near future.  In a sense, the savings trickle up when employers add medical vacations to coverage plans.  With critical economic times, medical tourism may be an even stronger tool in lowering health care costs and getting the country back on its feet financially.  

Thailand Can Make a Man Out of You

Bargain Shopping For Low Priced Female to Male Surgery

Whoever thought there’d be bargain shopping for low priced female to male surgeries, also known as gender reassignment surgery?  But countries like Thailand can offer dramatic savings on life-changing cosmetic surgeries.  Due in large part to affordable cosmetic surgery prices, Thailand is one of the world’s hotspots for low priced female to male surgeries.  Some women are leaving the US, travelling thousands of miles to Thailand for relatively affordable vacation packages that include the surgery itself, accommodations, and perhaps tourist activities. 

Shopping For Affordable Female to Male Surgery

There was a time when women wanting to become men had limited options.  In years past, even surgery couldn’t make a man out of her.  Today, medical breakthroughs make the gender reassignment surgeries thorough.  She can become a “man” both inside and out.  Strides in cosmetic surgery conform the breasts (mastectomy) to a masculine appearance and can create prosthetic male genitalia through phalloplasty and by using prosthetic testicles.  Concurrently, having a hysterectomy reduces estrogen levels and testosterone treatments help to sustain the transition.  The surgical procedures and hormone treatments reshape the woman’s body and recreate her chemical makeup to make her into a man. 

Are These Health Vacations Safe Though?

Health vacations offer significant savings on cosmetic surgery prices, but if you just want to save a buck or two, you could more easily switch your car insurance.  There are many reputable companies that offer health vacations to Thailand and other destination countries that help you consider safety as well as savings.  There are important factors to consider like the religious and political climate, crime rates, and health issues affecting other countries.  For example, patients may reconsider medical tourism to a country with political or religious unrest.  Likewise, certain countries are reported to have excessively high crime rates.  Using tools like the US State Department’s travel tips can help you forecast which countries are safe for your health travels.