Posted in Costa Rica forum
Hi,
So I have almost completed the process of scheduling a tummy tuck in Costa Rica With Dr Rodrigo Araya... when his office tells me that the only way he will accept payment is via Deposit into his bank account.
And I froze, Warning lights and sirens start up all over the place in my brain.
AM I crazy? Is this standard procedure? How have you all paid for plastic surgery in costa rica?
Please advise me ! Dr Araya and his office staff are very nice and personable but the idea of depositing directly into someone's bank account ( when their website clearly states that they do accept credit cards) seems fishy.
Thank you!
Deleted user
charley facelift
posted by Charley willis in Costa Rica forum
Carol,
Is anything wrong with Rosenstock and how do I find info on this site for them? I havent seen anything but joined 2 hrs ago...kindly, charleycharley facelift
posted by Charley willis in Costa Rica forum
Barbara, Just read your suggestion of no surgery at private clinics...my friend had facelift, lower body lift, and implants at Rosenstock clinic several years ago and stayed 3 weeks for recovery. She referred me there. What do you think of their clinic? I had lower body lift and implants with breast lift done in Georgia in 2001 and it was past 10 on pain scale and wouldn't do it again. planning on facelift there (CR) 6-15-11..
kindly, charleyMedical tourism companies/paying for surgeries
posted by Amie Davis in Costa Rica forum
So everybody knows, www.medicaltourism.com is out of the Philippines. The people you talk to have never met the surgeons, have no idea what their work looks like.
The surgeons in exchange pay a 10% commission for their services which are the following:
1)You send them pictures along with a letter of what you want done.
2)They forward your pictures to all of the surgeons that are signed up with their service to the country where you are going for plastic surgery.There you go. That is their job. They have never met the surgeons, have no idea where they are located other than what they can read on their screens, no clue as to what their work is like. ALL OF THE MEDICAL TOURISM PLACES ARE THIS WAY.
YOU ARE BETTER OFF DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH WITH THE PHYSICIANS NAME + COMPLAINTS AND SEE WHAT YOU COME UP WITH.
AIMS
Eyelid surgery
posted by Deleted user in Costa Rica forum
Thank you, Carol - I thought about this same thing. A client of mine had hers done here & it wasn't very expensive - & her insurance covered it. She said an "eye doctor" did this, but I think he's an occular plastic surgeon (I'll find out). It might just be better to do what I need done here. If you don't mind my asking, how much is "a little extra" to have the brow lift? Can an occular plastic surgeon do the brow lift, too? I know plastic surgeons differ in price, but I truly don't know what the "going rate" is or what to expect $$$-wise. Did you insurance cover anesthesia, too? I'm assuming this was minor outpatient type surgery. My client who had her eyelid surgery said hers was outpatient - she said the first 72 hours is the most important & applying bags of frozen peas - her eyes look great now. How much time did it take you to recover from the brow lift? If you will, fill me in on specifics of your situation, please. Thanks!
Thank you Carol
posted by Deleted user in Costa Rica forum
I replied to Amie & I also wanted to respond to you. I will definitely go take a look at these forums - thank you for sharing your research with me ~ it's a time-saver. I am nervous about PS - much more so than the dental work, if you can believe it . I think it's because it's my FACE! I would love to know who you choose & how your facelift turns out. I'm not in the market for a facelift but I might be in the future.
From some posts I've read on here, Pino sounds a little scary, but I will check him out. I do think the best way to find out is to check with people who've had a specific procedure done - i.e. eyelids are very different than lipo. My hubby also needs hair transplants ~ so I've got to ask about this, too. He is going with me in June (didn't make the trip last Nov.)
I found out about Anglada/Castro on topix.com "Dentist in Costa Rica" forum & I am so glad I did. Some people really like Cavallini but his pricing made no sense at all for my situation & I wasn't crazy about the manufacturers/materials he uses. Like you, I believe Anglada/Castro are better than any in the plethora of US dentists I've ever been to - I've seen some of Castro's final work & it's gorgeous. Anglada did a sinus lift, bone grafts, 15 extractions, 2 implants, 1 root canal done in Nov. 2010 ~ no pain whatsoever ~ & I'm on my way back in June on Trip 2 of 3 for 8 more implants. I have upper & lower full arch temporaries until Nov of this year when I get my final crowns. They are so gorgeous that I can't imagine what the finals will look like & I can eat ANYTHING. Anglada is fantastic! My hubby will be getting some veneers or crowns from Castro, too.
I'll be in touch with you ~ post on here if you find out anything that can help me - I appreciate it! Thanks! Sharon
Thank you Amie
posted by Deleted user in Costa Rica forum
I will check out Urzolla because the bleph is what I think I need at least to start. It may "evolve" into an eyebrow lift (which is more involved). - and I don't know what to do about the left temple surgical scar. My doc here thinks maybe start with Juvederm (to puff up the indention) & then maybe dermabrasion or laser to even out where the stitches were.
I saw from some of the posts that others had a great experience at Las Cumbres. I was in C.R. for Trip 1 of 3 for my dental work in Nov. 2010. I was by myself but I have traveled extensively so it didn't bother me. I stayed at Hotel La Sabana & couldn't have enjoyed it more - but dental work is different than PS work.
The thing that bugs the ever-living daylights out of me is when I had the skin graft on my left temple (after the MOHS surgery) it was done by a highly-regarded PS here. Pffft! It looks horrible ~ or at least it could look a LOT better. I cover it with my hair, but I'll never go to him again. So, I will check out Urzolla in June while I'm on Teeth Trip 2. I very well may email you ~ Thanks!! Sharon
New to the C.R. plastic surgery forum
posted by Deleted user in Costa Rica forum
I'm looking for a reputable plastic surgeon in C.R. for perhaps an eyebrow lift &/or eyelid surgery to get rid of the excess skin on my eyelids. As well, I have a scar on my left temple (about the size of a quarter) where I had MOH's surgery to remove a skin cancer in Nov 2003. It's sort of indented (where the PS did a skin graft) & it might need some "work". Due to this surgery, I lost the nerve on the left eyebrow (can't raise my left eyebrow) - thus the eyebrow lift. I've been to C.R. for extensive dental work (if you're looking for a superb oral surgeon & prosthodonist, I highly recommend Anglada & Castro). Might any of you be able to help me regarding the plastic surgery as in docs &/or where to stay? I'll be back in C.R. in early June. Thanks!
NEVER EVER FORWARD MONEY
posted by Amie Davis in Costa Rica forum
Do not wire money down there. There are certain surgeons that want you to wire money to hold a surgical spot. FIND ANOTHER SURGEON! They do not all do this.
Pain Control and Cost Factors
posted by Reenie G in Costa Rica forum
I met with Urzola and Arguello and found them to be equally as personable and professional. If I could have both do my surgery, that would be the ideal, in my opinion.
Arguello is (overly) safety conscious, so while Urzola is also safety aware, Arguello will only perform certain procedures in the hospital and not the out patient clinic like we have most of our cosmetic surgery done in the US. The out patient clinic is called UNIBE. It is very clean and has mostly everything you would want/need except maybe something I wouldn't want to do there would be something drastic like a transplant or cardiac surgery.
The cost of the hospitals (Clinica Biblica or Cima) make the procedures cost more but if you are someone that wants to take EVERY precaution especially traveling outside of the US, then by all means, pay a few dollars more for the hospital. It will still be much less expensive for the same quality of care or maybe even better, than you would have here in the US for double the cost, at least.
As for pain control, I was informed that I would be kept very comfortable while there and both Drs were fine with me bringing whatever medications I was used to taking for surgeries at home, if I chose to get them prescribed by my personal physicians here in the US and bring them with. It's a foreign country and they don't have all of the same meds we have here in the US.
I spoke with an RN that was recovering from a facelift and another patient recovering from multiple cosmetic procedures and they both said they were always comfortable. They had a different Cosmetic Surgeon and said "they use morphine down here" so the meds may be different than you would have at home. I will in all likelihood bring my own.
Reenie ;)
Thanks for sharing re: Dr Urzola
posted by Reenie G in Costa Rica forum
A appreciate your post. I think it was wise of you to decide to wait for a cosmetic surgeon to repair you lip. I am looking forward to meeting Dr Urzola next month for a consult. The only concern I have is that I may have to wait a few months before I can return for the actual surgery! ;)