Are You Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’? – Cosmetic Procedures on the Cruise

It’s time to sail away and enjoy vacation with a destination cruise. It’s common these days while vacationers are enjoying the all-you-can-eat-buffet and cocktails by the pool, they are also taking part in cosmetic surgery procedures aboard cruise ships. Pampered passengers are signing up in droves, but there are some things to consider before you take the cosmetic plunge on your next cruise. 

The Cruise Ship Touch Up

It’s vacation time, and it’s nothing but sunshine and sunscreen aboard a cruise line. Perhaps there will be relaxation by the pool or an island excursion. The destination cruise is a popular getaway, and nowadays it’s not unusual to find vacationers enjoying a little Botox. In growing numbers, people are deciding to take the plunge and try out a cosmetic surgery procedure aboard a cruise ship medi-spa, according to experts.

If that sounds like your kind of entertainment, experts say it’s a good idea to do your homework. Physicians are supposed to be administering the products or treatments, but that might not always be the case. “It’s sort of an unregulated marketplace for [cosmetic surgery],” according to Dr. Ned Snyder, a board certified plastic surgeon in Austin, Texas.

Snyder is skeptical of cosmetic surgery procedures at sea. He says some cruise lines offer everything from Botox and Dysport to fillers and even chemical peels. He has a lot of questions for the practitioners. “Who is delivering the treatments, and is there a doctor available? I would like to know if the procedure is delivered by an experienced nurse. And what about the product that is being used?” asks Snyder.

These are critical questions no matter where a procedure takes place.

Procedures in Demand

Many of the largest cruise lines offer non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and these procedures are popular. According to reports, thousands of cruise passengers – both men and women – sign up each year for all sorts of aesthetic treatments. That said, experts point out that when receiving a cosmetic procedure at sea, it’s important to realize that it’s ‘one and done.” If you are unhappy with the outcome or results of a procedure, it may be impossible to follow-up with the technician or doctor who delivered the treatment. 

The experts say it’s also important to consider the possibility of complications. “I would think really hard before having any kind of procedure that is not an emergency on a cruise ship or vacation,” says Dr. Adam Hamawy. Hamawy, a board certified plastic surgeon in Princeton, New Jersey, advises against almost any elective, cosmetic procedure on a cruise ship.

Hamawy says complications can happen with any provider, and if you’re at sea, it could be very dangerous. “If there’s a problem, what are you going to do if you are in the middle of the water, or in another country? Are you going to go to a hospital or just fly back home? These are questions that would have to be answered if there was a serious problem,” says Hamawy.

Medical Tourism Warnings

Medical tourism – it’s a trend that doesn’t seem to be going away, despite warnings to play it safe. Some consumers don’t seem deterred by reports of botched procedures or surgeries that happened while patients travelled specifically to other countries to receive cosmetic surgery treatment. Authorities say inhibitions are lowered even further when a passenger is on a cruise ship, surrounded by a party atmosphere.

The temptation may be to give ‘something new’ a try, but experts say be careful. “If you want to have some Botox or maybe filler or laser, it’s best to wait until you get home, or do it before you leave on vacation,” concludes Dr. Hamawy.