Short answer: Before you pay a deposit, ask about the practitioner’s registration and training, who will do each step, the facility, the total cost and what it excludes, the complication and revision policy, and what records and follow-up you’ll get. Get the answers in writing. The questions below draw on guidance from healthdirect, ASAPS, the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, ISHRS and the World Medical Association.
Risks and limitations to understand first
- Good answers reduce risk but can’t remove it. All surgery carries risk.
- A clinic’s sales staff aren’t a substitute for speaking to the surgeon who’ll operate.
- If answers are vague, unwritten or rushed, treat that as a warning sign.
About the practitioner
- What’s your full name and registration number, and which official body registers you? (Use the registers listed in how to choose a surgeon overseas.)
- Which specialist qualification do you hold, and from which college or board?
- How often do you perform this procedure? How often do your patients need revision surgery? healthdirect suggests asking about your surgeon’s experience (healthdirect (opens official site)).
- Will you personally perform every surgical step? Who gives the anaesthetic? Which parts will assistants or technicians do? (ISHRS (opens official site))
- Will I meet you before the day of surgery?
About the procedure and risks
- What are the risks of this procedure for someone in my state of health and stage of life? (healthdirect (opens official site))
- How long will recovery take, and what will the result look like after recovery, including scarring? (healthdirect (opens official site))
- Where exactly will the operation happen? Is that facility licensed or accredited?
- When will it be safe for me to fly home, and will you put that in writing? See how long after surgery you can fly.
- For implants, grafts or veneers: which brand and material will you use, and will I get the batch details?
About costs and payment
- What’s the total cost, and what’s excluded? In Australia, healthdirect says surgeons must give written cost information, including deposits and refunds, payment dates, follow-up costs and possible revision costs (healthdirect (opens official site)). Ask an overseas clinic for the same.
- How much time will I have to consider the plan before paying? UK and Turkish surgical societies recommend two weeks for hair transplants (BAAPS (opens official site)).
- What are the cancellation and refund terms?
About complications and follow-up
- What happens if I develop an infection or bleeding and need to stay longer? Who pays? (Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (opens official site))
- If I’m very unwell, which hospital would I be transferred to, and at whose cost?
- Who manages complications outside working hours? (BAAPS (opens official site))
- What follow-up will you provide once I’m back in Australia, and how?
- What’s your revision policy, and does it include travel costs?
About records
- Will I get my operation notes, discharge summary, implant details, imaging and medication list in English before I leave? (WMA (opens official site))
- Will you send a treatment summary to my GP? The RACGP says this is useful for ongoing care (RACGP (opens official site)).
Questions to ask yourself
- Do I have someone I trust to support me while I recover? (Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (opens official site))
- Do I have a financial buffer if I need to stay longer?
- Have I talked to my GP? See aftercare in Australia.
- Is my insurance right for this trip? See travel insurance for surgery overseas.
Destination and procedure guides
- Countries: Thailand, Bali and Turkey
- Cities: Bangkok, Phuket, Seminyak, Canggu and Denpasar, Istanbul and Antalya
- Procedures: dental implants, veneers, hair transplants, rhinoplasty and breast augmentation
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask an overseas surgeon first?
Their full name, registration number and which body registers them. Then check those details on the official register before you go any further.
Should I get answers in writing?
Yes. Ask for a written quote, a consent form, the complication and revision policy, and confirmation of who will operate.
How long should I take to decide?
Don’t feel rushed. UK and Turkish surgical societies recommend two weeks to consider a hair transplant plan before paying. In Australia, cosmetic surgery patients get a seven-day cooling-off period before booking (ASAPS (opens official site)).
What if a clinic won’t answer my questions?
Treat that as a warning sign and consider other options.
Can I bring this checklist to my GP?
Yes. Your GP can help you understand the answers and plan your aftercare.
Sources
All accessed 22 October 2026.
- ASAPS, Heading overseas for cosmetic surgery?: https://aestheticplasticsurgeons.org.au/news/heading-overseas-for-cosmetic-surgery-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
- healthdirect, Rhinoplasty (questions to ask and cost information): https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/procedures/surgery/rhinoplasty
- Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic tourism is a price-driven practice: https://plasticsurgery.org.au/information-for-patients/cosmetic-tourism-is-a-price-driven-practice/
- ISHRS, Hair transplant black market red flags: https://fightthefight.ishrs.org/hair-transplant-black-market-red-flags/
- BAAPS, UK and Turkish medical associations unite to issue minimum guidelines for hair transplant surgery: https://baaps.org.uk/media/press_releases/1883/uk_and_turkish_medical_associations_unite_to_issue_minimum_guidelines_for_hair_transplant_surgery/
- World Medical Association, Statement on medical tourism: https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-statement-on-medical-tourism/
- RACGP, Medical tourism: https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2015/january-february/medical-tourism
Disclaimer: The information on medicaltourism.com.au is general in nature. It isn’t medical, legal or financial advice. We don’t endorse or rank practitioners or facilities. See our editorial policy, medical disclaimer and how we make money.