HerWorld Magazine,
April 2003
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Sun, sandy beaches,
historically-rich temples, flora, fauna and wonderful food...
what more could a person wants in a holiday destination? Excellent
medical facilities, for one, as "medical tourism" is poised to
hance Penang Island's attraction above and beyond its natural
beauty.
"Have fun in the sun and return looking 10 years younger" could
be a tagline from a myriad tourist brochures, but at Beautiful
Holidays, there's more truth to that than you might realise. Company
owner Marloes Giezenaar offers tourists combination of relaxing
holiday and cosmetic surgery in sunny Penang. From facelifts to
nose jobs, botox injections to liposuction, Beautiful Holidays
arranges it all. "I have friends in Europe who had undergone
plastic surgery," said Marlothe downside of it all was that
they had to goes. "I saw the results knew what they were paying...and
they felt that home almost immediately after, see to their chores,etc.
It's 30 to 40% cheaper for |
them here, plus recovery time seems to be faster when you get to relax
awhile after the surgery."
Ready for a change
I was in Penang to meet one of Marloes' clients, Corina van Leeuwen, who
would share the whole experience of her holiday-cum-surgery with me. An
attractive 24-year-old who owns her own communications company in the Netherlands,
Corina's warm, bubbly personality belied a slight initial nervousness she
was in Penang to enjoy more than the local sights. Two days after our meeting,
Corina was to undergo breast augmentation surgery.
Corina revealed that this was no spur-of-the-moment decision. "I like
my body, but I want more volume to my breasts. I've actually wanted to
do this since I was about 17, but at the time I thought that maybe it was
just a phase I was going through. I waited until I was confident and mature
enough to make the decision," she said. Her main concerns were the
risks involved in the surgery, and the cost it would entail.
Back home, Corina had read an article on the services offered by Beautiful
Holidays. "What attracted me to it was that it's a full package. You
really want everything arranged for you when you go on holiday abroad.
I really like that someone picked me up and checked me into the hotel room.
It's a big plus that I didn't have to arrive in a foreign country and make
all these arrangements for myself," she said.
As part of the Beautiful Holidays arrangement, Marloes arranges a phone
interview for prospective clients to speak to a surgeon from their home
country, so that they can learn as much as possible before making any decisions. "It's
a really big step and I needed to gather more information," revealed
Corina. The interview put to rest many of her concerns about the risks
involved.
Couldn't she have chosen to do the surgery in Holland? "In Holland,
I asked for a few quotations and they started almost 'stalking' me, trying
to make me commit instantly. I really wanted to feel at ease to make this
decision in my own time. Also, there's a waiting list, and I would have
had to wait months before I could have the procedure.
Corina spent 4590 euros on the trip, and confided, "The cost (all
inclusive for the surgery, accommodation, etc.) is the same as the cost
of just the surgery in Holland." Cost ranges for each client, depending
on the type of hotels they want, etc. As Marloes says, "Every package
is custom-made to the individual's needs.
"The youngest of three siblings, Corina is from a close-knit family, but
hadn't told anyone back home that she was going to have the surgery. As far as
they knew, she was just abroad on holiday. "I wanted to do this without
telling my family and friends because I wanted this to be my decision. I really
don't know how everyone back home will react." This isn't unusual, said
Marloes. "A lot of my clients don't tell anyone at home, or they tell just
a few close friends. They don't want people asking questions all the time when
they've just come out of surgery."
"Of course I'm nervous! But I'm excited too, and there are no second thoughts," Corina
explained. "I like looking nice, wearing nice clothes, but I'm not looking
to be the next Pamela Anderson. I want to go one bra size bigger, from an 8OB
to an 80C." She expected that her new bustline would also add to her confidence
and improve her posture, but stressed that "I want a subtle change; I have
to take my professional career into consideration, because I don't think I'd
look very professional with boobs from here to Tokyo!"
Corina had flown in on Sunday morning, and had already managed to visit
a Buddhist temple and catch the Thaipusam parade along Jalan Utama. She
said, "We went to Batu Ferringhi. I sat on the beach and did a little
jet skiing - I had a great
time!" After a Mexican dinner, Corina decided to head back to the
hotel for some sleep; the next day was her first consultation with the
surgeon.
Preparation & questions
| When I
met Corina for dinner the next day; all traces
of nervousness were gone after her consultation
with the doctor earlier that morning. The surgery
was carried out at one of 2 private hospitals that
we work with, which also impressed Corina no end.
The hospital was very "clean, sterile and
organised, and that made me feel at ease immediately.
I found the surgeon very reassuring."Marloes
added, "A strong point for this hospital is
that the medical personnel speak good English." For
those who don't speak English, Beautiful Holidays
makes sure that translators are always on hand,
so that when a client wakes up after the operation
and needs something, he/she can speak to the translator
in his/her own native language. It's a simple touch,
but one that can make all the difference upon waking
up groggily in strange surroundings. The CEO of
that hospital said, "Our medical personnel
and facilities are on par with those from overseas;
they've come a long way. Most of our specialists
are UK trained, and constantly keep in touch through
conferences and training.Corina recalled her morning
consultation: "The doctor examined my breasts
and asked what size I really want to be - I saw
pictures of another patient and told him that I
wanted those. He checked if my breasts, when enlarged,
would be in proportion to the rest of my body,
and checked for any lumps. Everything checked out
fine."He then went on to explain the difference
between saline and silicone implants as well as
to show her samples of each. Corina decided that
silicone implants were better for her. "With
saline, there is a slight chance of leakage, and
you can feel the seam of the implant slightly. |
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Corina made speedy
recovery |
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Silicone is more compact, less watery," she said.
The doctor then spoke about the risks of the surgery,
citing the 12 to 24 hour period after the surgery as
the high-risk period. In other words, if infection is
going to set in, or your body is going to reject the
implants, this is the period during which it will happen.
Corina asked the doctor if she could sleep on her stomach, her normal sleeping
position. "He said that I couldn't right after the surgery because
there would be some bruising, but it would be fine after one or two weeks." As
for other concerns, she added, "I wanted to know what would happen
if a leakage occurs. He said my body would encapsulate it, and my
breasts would become hard and that it (i.e. the implant and leakage) has
to be taken out." In order to show her how hardy the silicone implant
is, Corina said he punched it and squeezed it - "It didn't break.
Apparently, only if you puncture the
chest wall and thereby the implant, or get into a bad accident and your
ribs break and puncture the implant... then it might leak. It won't leak
just due to a punch to the chest, or walking into a door, or anything like
that."
" Of course I'm nervous! But I'm excited too, and second thoughts.” The
implants can last a good 20 years. Barring any problems, they won't have to be
changed unless the technology improves drastically. Of the three options for
the incision, Corina chose the transaxillary incision - made under the armpit,
in a fold of skin - because it would leave the least visible scars. She also
asked about showering and being in the sun after the operation... she was on
holiday at the beach, after all! "He told me to take it easy for a couple
of days. Going into the sun would make me sweat, and the incisions would heal
slower, as well as there being a risk of infection. After about five days, then
I can go out in the sun. In the same way, I can't have a full bath for the first
four days; I can only shower my lower body. The cuts have to remain dry." After
the consultation, Corina had a blood test to check for allergies and blood type
- standard procedure prior to surgery. She was instructed to call a nurse if
she was in pain after surgery so that painkillers could be administered, as they
are not given indiscriminately.
After the surgery, Corina would be staying at another hotel. She was eager
to plan a whole slew of activities once she had recovered from her operation. "I
want to go to the night markets and do a little shopping. Next week, I'm
planning
to work on my tan. I love having a tan, and it's like five degrees in Holland
right now!" she enthused. She also wanted a manicure, pedicure and
massage. Content to go with the flow, she had also planned lots of R&R
time. "I want to
be 100% well by the time I go home, because I have to go back and work."
Beautiful Holidays provides flexible arrangements, so that clients can
plan what they want based on how they feel. As Corina put it, "If
you don't feel well, you don't want to have to [go out] just because you
planned it earlier."
Full of praise for Penang, Corina spent several happy hours at the pool.
She said, "I like trying foreign food, and Penang has so many different
types. I can try something different every day." Just before hitting
the sack, she confided,
" Everyone at the hospital was very nice. That was good because the operation
is really close now, and that really helped to lessen my nervousness. I'm also
glad it's in the morning, so that I can wake up and go to the hospital straight-away."
Surgery & recovery
Upon arriving at the hospital the next day, Corina was given one final
check-up, after which she met the anaesthetist and went in for the surgery.
The day before, Corina had said,” I hope I sleep 24 hours! It's the
best way to recover, sleeping." In the recovery room, however, Corina
was awake, although a little groggy, barely an hour after the surgery.
Her breasts were quite swollen
after the operation; her surgeon had already warned her, this was a normal
reaction. After a week, the swelling goes down, and final results are most
accurate after one and a half years. That night, Corina was nauseous from
the anaesthesia and unable to eat anything; she drank lots of water and
tea instead. But by the next day, the nausea
had worn off - Corina managed to eat a full English breakfast and was bright
and cheery, sitting up in bed, waiting to go to her new hotel and continue
with her holiday. If not for the bandages under each arm, you'd never guess
she'd just had surgery the day before; she could even raise her arms slightly.
For two to three days after surgery, Corina was to do some light stretching
with her arms, to ensure that the scars don't heal too tightly, thus
limiting arm movement. Said a beaming Corina, "I'm feeling much
better, and they've been treating me really well. I can stretch, but
not too much." (The most discomfort is experienced between 24 to
48 hours after surgery, since the breasts will be swollen and tender.
Regular activities can usually be resumed after a week I while strenuous
activities should be put off for at least a month.)
Corina had already regained some sensation in her nipple area, although
the further-lying areas of "her breasts were still quite number.
The surgeon had informed her during her consultation that sensation would
return slowly in approximately one week. Clad in the sports bra that
she was to wear for two weeks, she moved smoothly around the room, packing
her clothes. In between helping Corina with her packing, Marloes said
that when someone gets silicone implants,
" It's particularly important to get a bra that fits really well." After
fond farewells to the nurses who had taken such good care of her, Corina strolled
out of the hospital, and was soon bound for her new hotel in Batu Ferringhi.
When we chatted a week after her surgery, Corina was feeling rejuvenated and
ready to go, having enjoyed many of Penang's sights. She still had a few more
days before returning to Holland, and was making the most of it. "I've tried
Indian and Chinese
food... it was too nice, because I ate too much of it!" She revealed, "The
bruises and swelling are now almost gone.
Plus, the shape has improved, they're softer, and the numbness has worn
off completely." The cuts had also healed, she said, and the cream
she received at her last consultation would help the scars fade faster.
"Every day I feel better - I can go in the sun for awhile, and enjoy the
pool. I've been busy getting a tan! And the doctor is very pleased with my results;
he's surprised that I can put my arms all the way above my head already."
Pleased with a particularly memorable holiday, Corina plans to return
to Penang in the summer for her final half-year heck-up.
What lies ahead?
While Corina is just one of many satisfied customers who have left the
sunny isle with more than just holiday snapshots, not everyone is in
the cheering’ section for this kind of medical tourism. Some doctors
have expressed concern that
patients who take long-haul flights post-surgery face greater health
risks, such as the threat of potentially fatal Deep Vein Thrombosis.
Said by CEO of that hospital, "We do make sure that our patient
is well enough to travel beforehand. Also, we would not take patients
who have a strong risk factor, such as a family history of Deep Vein
Thrombosis. Potential patients usually have a tele-consultation to make
sure there are no serious illnesses. They need to provide a doctors'
declaration and a complete medical history. If we find that the patient
is not fit, we won't go ahead with the operation. This includes a family
history of heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension, and
HIV-positive and AIDS patients.
"Our government is doing a very good job in promoting medical tourism, and
we're just doing our part. We hope to expand to other types of surgery as well,
such as hip replacement, cataract removal and dental surgery... anything where
people may have a long waiting list in their own country."
Will medical tourism become a major Malaysian attraction then, along
with sunny weather, great food and a rich culture? Only time - and more
experiences - will tell.
BREASTS ARE MADE OF glands,
fatty and fibrous tissue, blood vessels, milk ducts and sensory nerves.
The major muscle located beneath the breast is the pectoralis major,
which facilitates arm movement. Breast shape and size
vary from person to person, and even on the same individual, one
breast may vary slightly from
Factors affecting breast size and shape:
- amount of breast tissue
- age
- past pregnancies
- genetics
- skin elasticity
Breast implants
The most common and accepted types of implants are either saline-
or silicone-filled. The outer casing for both is
pliable silicone, one of the most biocompatible materials to the
human body: this lessens the risk of rejection by the
body. Implants can be round, oval or contoured, and can have smooth
or textured surfaces. Choosing either type of
implant comes with risks, which should be discussed in detail with
your surgeon before undertaking any kind of
operation.
Saline-filled implants comprise a salt water solution, which is akin
to the fluid which makes up 70% of the human organism. Should the
implant leak? The fluid will simply be absorbed by the body. This
type of implant. However, feels slightly less like natural breast
tissue than silicone because of its liquid consistency, and there
is a slight chance of rippling or wrinkling. The size of many saline-filled
implants can be adjusted post-surgery.
The silicone gel in silicone implants has a consistency closer to
natural breast tissue. Should this implant leak, the body will encapsulate
the silicone, enabling the entire implant, leakage and all, to be
removed. These implants are
seamless. |
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