Say “Si” to Elective Surgery in Argentina

Argentina’s Culture of Beauty

Argentina is a nation that loves to look good.  Reported by ABC News to have one of the highest rates of cosmetic elective surgery per person on the planet, Argentina is home to talented plastic surgeons that get a lot of practice.  Argentine physicians have perfected the art of body sculpting to please the very demanding local population.  In a “20/20” segment aired a few years ago, Dr. Jose Juri, a leading plastic surgeon in Buenos Aires, told ABC News that with all the competition, plastic surgeons in his country need to be gifted artists.  “When it comes to the nose,” he said, “I’m Michelangelo!” 

Elective Surgery Covered by Insurance

Reuters reports that plastic surgery is so popular that the top insurance companies in Argentina offer plans that cover one elective surgery every few years as a part of a regular coverage package.  People like Mariela Cavallo, a 26-year-old woman from Buenos Aires who had breast augmentation last year, are typical.  “Here, it’s almost impossible for a person not to go to a gym or to watch what he or she eats,” she told Reuters.  “It’s all part of our culture.”  Boasting low prices and highly skilled physicians, Argentina is now increasingly offering part of that culture of beauty to foreigners on medical tourism vacations.   

Medical Tourism Vacations to Argentina

After the country experienced a financial crisis and a devaluation of its currency a few years ago, foreigners discovered how affordable medical travel to Argentina could be.  Americans, Canadians, and Europeans are all drawn to Argentina for its attractive exchange rates and experienced surgeons.  The cost of breast reduction surgery, for example, is significantly less in Argentina than in the US.  In fact, the cost of breast reduction surgery and liposuction together might cost under $5,000, according to Reuters.  With prices like these, Argentina could one day eclipse Thailand and India for supremacy in the medical tourism arena.