Plastic surgery enhances face of UAE medical tourism

People turn to plastic surgery for a variety of reasons. Acquiring “better looks” is one of these. Dubai is not a stranger to this trend, where several influencers with nearly “perfect” looks are one of major factors driving people to seek specialized treatments.

There is no dearth of specialists to cater to the needs of those seeking to enhance looks. 

Dr Timm Wolter, a plastic surgeon at Nova Clinic, Dubai, told TRENDS: 

 “The industry has stabilized significantly with well-trained, experienced surgeons and good facilities available.” 

Like many other professionals, Dr. Wolter considers some aspects of plastic surgery comparable–even advanced–compared to the region’s countries.

The prices in well-equipped clinics and hospitals are at the same level as in other countries, he added.

 “Quality cannot come cheap,” he said.

Competition and Offerings

Local clinics in the UAE can easily compete with international players. This has been experienced by many international doctors who want to work in Dubai, said Dr. Wolter. 

The addition of stem cell technology and regenerative medicine seems like an exciting new development as far the techniques employed in Dubai are concerned, he said.

Trending Surgeries

Body contouring, liposuction, and fat transfer have been trending for some time now.

Among other popular surgeries, according to doctors, are nose reshaping, blepharoplasty, stomach tucks, and facelifts. At the same time, professionals admit that in some cases, patients are dissatisfied with the results because they have unrealistic or irrational expectations and want to see results faster than is usual. In other cases, patients are unhappy with their cosmetic procedure results because they were not adequately explained about the process, especially if a patient was undergoing an operation for the first time.

Dr. Wolter added abdominoplasties, rhinoplasties, and breast augmentation or liftings to be very common nowadays in the UAE. 

“We are a region focused on staying fit and looking the part. Women also are looking forward to restoring their body image after childbirth and breastfeeding,” he said. 

“We should not forget to mention teeth and mouth operations since almost everyone wants a shiny smile,” he said.

Nearly 90 percent of the manufactured teeth and their aesthetic materials in the UAE are made using the most advanced 3D printing technology globally, which provides the most accurate and precise results, according to Dr. Nasser Al-Malik, the head of the scientific committee at the AEEDC Dubai conference.

Al-Malik explained that this technology works by scanning the patient’s mouth and sending the image directly to the laboratory. A new tooth can be printed and implanted within 48 hours.

 Contribution to Health Sector

Like many sectors, plastic surgery was highly affected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Wolter admitted that many people used this time to have plastic surgery done and recover while working from home, so they are no longer strangers to the field. Moreover, plastic surgery will thrive further with readily available vaccines, a more stabilized economy, and increased disposable income.

At the same time, Dr. Wolter sees a considerable number of clients from abroad that have come to the UAE to benefit from the well-organized response to the pandemic and have plastic surgery done. This has boosted confidence and will therefore contribute significantly to the growth of the health sector.