Brazil, Argentina and Turkey are now the most popular and affordable destinations for gender reassignment surgery, an analysis shows.
The research from medical site Healthnews contrasts with the popular view that Thailand is the top country for transgender surgery, where American and Western tourists have traveled for years for male-to-female and female-to-male surgeries.
Surgeries in Turkey are 68 percent cheaper than in the US, costing an average of $7,300, compared to more than $23,000.
Turkey offers the cheapest phalloplasty, which involves building an artificial penis using skin taken from elsewhere on the body, facial feminization surgery and vaginoplasty, with average costs of $9,755, $10,841 and $5,215 respectively.
The country has “relatively modest costs of living compared to Western countries and significantly lower clinical and laboratory costs,” the researchers said.
It comes as a transgender shared his experience after undergoing an experimental new surgery that removed the entire external genitalia.
Surgeries in Turkey are 68 percent lower than in the US, costing an average of $7,300, compared to more than $23,000
South Korea offers the lowest price for top female-to-male surgery, which removes both breasts to create a more masculine-looking breast
In the US, a phalloplasty can cost around $30,000.
Despite being considered a top destination for gender reassignment surgery, Thailand only ranks fourth with an average surgery price of $11,096.
Brazil and Argentina are among the cheapest options in Latin America, and Belgium is the cheapest choice in Europe.
South Korea offers the lowest price for top female-to-male surgery, which removes both breasts to create a more masculine-looking chest.
For breast enlargement performed in male-to-female top surgery, the most budget-friendly option is Argentina, which costs $3,716.
The US is the least affordable country for this type of surgery due to limited insurance coverage for transgender people.
The researchers chose 10 countries most often mentioned in the medical tourism literature, online forums and health news.
The US is the least affordable country for this type of surgery due to limited insurance coverage for transgender people
These are: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Germany, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US.
The researchers collected price data from an average of 30 sources per country, including local surgical practices, online health forums and healthcare price comparison platforms.
For facial feminization surgery, researchers evaluated the package of procedures offered by clinics.
These may include forehead contouring, rhinoplasty, cheek augmentation, chin and jaw reshaping, tracheal shave, lip augmentation and hairline lowering, depending on the individual’s wishes and the clinic’s offerings.
According to Medical tourism MexicoApproximately 1.2 million Americans travel to Mexico each year to undergo discounted elective surgery, including cosmetic surgeries.
In 2020, according to figures, approximately 290,000 Americans traveled abroad for dental and medical procedures. Forbes. In 2019 this figure was 780,000.
At the same time, the number of gender reassignment operations is increasing rapidly worldwide.
In America, the number of gender-affirming surgeries has almost tripled from 4,552 in 2016 to 13,011 in 2019.
In Britain, 54 operations were performed in 2000, compared to 143 in 2009.
Belgium is known for its progressive views on trans rights and healthcare and allows legal name and gender changes without medical certification.
The Belgian healthcare system has approved gender reassignment surgery as standard treatment since 1985, and there is a transgender politician, Petra De Sutter, in the country’s current government.
Turkey, on the other hand, has significant gaps in transgender rights. Human rights organizations have reported continued violence against transgender people in the country.
As with any surgery, there is a risk of complications, but this risk is often greater if you travel abroad.
Some countries’ requirements for accreditation of surgeons may be less than what would be required in the US, and there is also a risk of counterfeit medications and lower quality medical devices.
Medical tourism is a multibillion-dollar global market that continues to grow, according to the CDC, with destinations for U.S. residents including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, India, Malaysia , Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Singapore and Thailand.