I’m going to be honest with you, I cancelled a haircut booking halfway through when I realised the price had gone up to £80 for a standard cut and blow dry.
I’m too scared to find out how much my favourite nail salon charges these days and I’ve been waxing my own eyebrows. It’s hell out here and I’m one of the lucky ones – I live in a relatively cheap area.
Beauty really does come at a price and recent figures suggest that by the end of 2023, the beauty industry is expected to have an annual revenue of ÂŁ11.6 billion. An unfathomable amount of money, especially during an ongoing cost of living crisis.
It makes sense, then, that some TikTok creators and influencers have taken to travelling abroad for their beauty treatments which, even with the flight included, are much cheaper than what they’re paying at home and come with the added benefit of a little holiday.
Bryn Elise, a travel and beauty influencer, travelled to Turkey for hair extensions.
When she was quoted $4,450 for new hair extensions from her usual salon, she decided to try a different route. She realised that the exact same treatment in Turkey would cost only $500 due to conversion rates.
The hairdresser she went to in Turkey runs a world-class salon and she’s now been back there three times.
She added that a week in Turkey, added to the cost of her hair treatment, cost her around $1,600 – a saving of $2,850 in total.
Dana, a creator that usually posts car content, shared her story of her $600 rhinoplasty (more commonly known as a nose job) done in Iran.
This is considerably less than the average cost of the treatment in the US which is around $5,483.
Meanwhile Jessica, a creator from the UK, travelled to Turkey for breast enlargement surgery.
On average, this treatment can cost anywhere between ÂŁ3,899 and ÂŁ8,655 privately in the UK.
But in Turkey, she paid ÂŁ3,300 for her surgery including hotel transfers and a hospital stay, with her return flights including extra legroom and hold luggage costing ÂŁ280.
Is going abroad for beauty treatments a good idea?
With all of that considered, it’s hard to see why anybody wouldn’t want to see the world and save some money on beauty treatments while they’re at it.
However, the NHS urges that if you’re considering cosmetic treatments abroad, you should do as much research as possible before you book anything.
It warns: “No surgery is risk-free. Complications can happen after surgery in the UK or abroad. If you have complications after an operation in the UK, it’s the surgeon’s responsibility to provide follow-up treatment.
“Overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or they may not provide it to the same standard as in the UK. Also, they may not have a healthcare professional in the UK you can go to if you have any problems.”
The NHS goes on to advise that if you are going to travel for treatments, find out as much as you can about the cosmetic procedure. This includes:
- What consultations you’ll have (and the costs),
- What the procedure entails,
- Risks and complications,
- Aftercare.
As well as researching your surgeon, it’s important to ensure your travel insurance covers your treatment and any complications that may occur because of it.
You should also avoid travelling for five to seven days after procedures such as breast surgery and liposuction, and seven to 10 days for facial procedures or tummy tucks.