More Tourists Flocking to South Africa for Plastic Surgery

The number of foreigners having plastic surgery in South Africa has shot up dramatically over the past year despite the strengthening of the rand, according to a report of Cape Times, a local newspaper.

“In December 2004, we had six patients and last month we had 25," said Peter Ordway, managing director of Mediscapes, a company which sells cosmetic surgery packages, mostly to foreigners on holiday in Cape Town.

The packages include the procedure, accommodation, tourist excursions, and the assistance of therapists and nurses during the rehab process. Although the range of procedures foreigners wanted was wide, breast augmentation is by and large the most sought-after surgery. The next most popular procedures are tummy tucks, rhinoplasty, liposuction and facelifts.

Although the rand has strengthened, Ordway says the cost of plastic surgery in South Africa remains 60 percent to 65 percent cheaper than in Britain or the US. The Johannesburg company Surgeon and Safari has also noted a marked rise in demand.

"We´re booked up completely for January," said chief executive Lorraine Melvill. “On average last year we had 30 clients a month and in 2004 we had about 15 a month.”

The plastic surgery craze has annoyed some surgeons in Britain and the US, from which many citizens also travel to Croatia, Belgium, Poland, Thailand or Argentina for cheaper prices.