Breast Implants in India

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The capital city of India is New Delhi and you may wish to start your search for plastic surgeons in this region, although there are many clinics in other areas of India such as Uttaranchal. The official language of India is Hindi, although English is an “associated language” so you should expect your cosmetic surgeon to speak English. This is important (unless you speak Hindi) as you need to ensure that you and your surgeon understand each other. You may see some patients touching their doctor’s feet which is the traditional way that India people show a sign of respect (and children will often touch the feet of their elder relatives in this way).

The main religion in India is Hinduism although there is also a reasonable number of practising Muslims and Christians too. Family is traditionally very important to Indian people and many families still practise arranged marriages (although this is becoming a lot less common). You might find Indian food very spicy if you are not used to it and traditional Indian cuisine can be split into Raja, Sattva and Tamas. However, if you are staying in a large city you will also be able to find Western food so that you do not need to suffer indigestion due to the herbs and spices on top of trying to recover from your breast implant surgery.  

The India climate means that it is generally very hot, humid and rainy so most locals will wear cotton clothing and sandals. The traditional clothing worn by Indian women are Saris and Dhortis are traditionally worn by men but in large cities (such as New Delhi) many people will wear Western clothing too. Depending on the area of India that you intend to travel to, your GP may suggest that you have a yellow fever vaccination and you will probably be advised to take malaria pills before, during and after your travel. If you have any concerns about this then you should talk to your GP as there are numerous different options for Malaria treatments and one might suit you better than another (due to differences in price and side effects).

The Logistics of Having Your Breast Implant Surgery in India

The explosion of low cost airlines means that even relatively distant destinations such as India can be reasonably cheap to get to provided that you book in advance and are willing to travel at strange times of the night in economy. However there is a great variety of comfort levels available to suit your taste.

As a UK national you will need to organise a visa in order to enter India which can be done online (to get an electronic visa) or through the embassy in London. Depending on your nationality and residency status you may be required to get a different type of visa so it is important that you read through all the information on the types of visa you require before submitting an application online (or travelling into London to present your passport). It is important to ensure that you have at least 6 months valid on your passport as you will not be able to get an Indian visa otherwise. You will need to apply for a “medical visa” (not a normal tourist visa) as you are travelling to India to carry out medical treatment and anyone who accompanies you will need to have a “medical escort visa”.

As of February 2011, the UK foreign and commonwealth office (FCO) are advising against travel within India near the Pakistan border as well as rural areas within Kashmir and Jammu. However, the travel advice is constantly updated as political and environmental situations evolve within India so you should ensure that you check the FCO website before you book your trip to India. It is important that you avoid booking your trip to areas of India that the FCO suggests to avoid because this could invalidate your travel and medical insurance.  

The Cost of Having Your Breast Implant Surgery in India

The cost of breast implant surgery in India is generally around US$1000 (~£625) but most clinics will only accept Indian rupees. However, most Indian clinics will have separate fees for consultations, admission, room charges, nursing charges, doctors visits and meals which could add around US$80 (~£50) per day (depending on the type of room that you wish to book and whether you want air conditioning in the room). In general it would be advised to book a room with air conditioning (especially in the summer) as you will probably find it difficult to acclimatise to the Indian climate especially whilst recovering from your breast implant surgery. 

A 6 month medical visa will cost around £65 which will allow you to enter India up to two times (a similar 12 month medical visa will cost approximately £90). If you are bringing a recovery buddy, then their medical escort visa will similarly cost them either £65 for 6 months or £90 for one year. You may be able to find some good deals on flights to India but the costs will vary widely depending on the time of year that you wish to travel, the airline that you wish to travel with and the level of comfort that you wish to have on the plane. Most economy flights to New Delhi from London will cost in the region of £350 to £550.

The type of accommodation available in India also varies widely ranging from the 5* hotels that you would expect to see in London, UK, to tiny one room inns found more in rural India run by a local family. In New Delhi you could find a reasonable 3* type hotel for between £20 and £30 per night. Living costs in India can be really cheap (provided you avoid the really touristy areas) so you could budget for very low living costs if you are able to find self-catering accommodation and are willing to buy local produce from small markets or supermarkets. If you are planning on having your breast implant surgery carried out in Goa or Mumbai then you should expect to pay a higher price for the hotel room and living costs.     

An example of costs to have breast implant surgery in New Delhi could be: Flights: £400 Visa: £65 Cost of the breast implant surgery and 2 day stay in the clinic: £625 + (£50 x2) Accommodation: £25 x 10 nights (for one person) Food: £15 x 10 days (for one person eating out cheaply) Travel insurance: £800 Travel within New Delhi (to and from your clinic, assuming use of local transport and not the taxis provided for the tourists): £50 Spending money: £200 (if you plan to enjoy your holiday afterwards). Total: £2640 (for one person)

However, it is likely that you will need to visit your chosen clinic before your breast surgery treatment and this will increase the cost for example: Flights: £400 Consultation cost: £50 Accommodation: £25 x 2 nights (for one person) Food: £15 x 3 days (for one person eating out cheaply). Total for initial trip: £545

This brings an example total up to around £3200 (assuming you go on your own and live relatively cheaply, but comfortably) which equates to a saving of just under £2000 compared to having your breast implant surgery in the UK. However, if you wish to fly business class or stay in a more luxurious hotel or bring a friend then the cost will increase quite quickly and you may find that your total outgoing costs begin to exceed the cost of having your breast implants in the UK. (Although, you will also get a holiday in India at the same time by using this option)!

The most important things to organise first if you are considering having your breast implant surgery carried out in India are your visa (or visas if you are bringing a friend or partner) as these can take a number of months to come through. You will then need to be sure that your travel and medical insurance covers you for the surgery in India. It is certainly advisable to include in your budget the cost of an initial trip to visit your clinic. You could organise this in one of two ways so that you either return home to consider your options before returning to India for your breast implant surgery or so you remain in India to either have the surgery within the same trip (which will save you money on flights) or use the remaining time before your return flights having a holiday (if you decide not to go ahead with your surgery). 

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