How can they only charge €2,000 for a BBL? As British woman dies after botched cosmetic surgery in Turkey – experts warn clinics are ‘cutting corners’ with potentially fatal consequences to offer ‘unrealistically low’ prices for major operations

British plastic surgeons have warned about the unsafe ‘short cuts’ of Turkish cosmetic surgery clinics, which they say probably explains the astonishingly cheap prices of the procedures they offer.

Experts have raised suspicions about high-risk procedures such as nose jobs and weight loss operations costing £6,000 less than in Britain.

The use of older, riskier equipment, a lack of aftercare and cuts to insurance that protects patients if something goes wrong could explain the price gap, surgeons told MailOnline.

This website has identified at least five Turkish clinics offering Brazilian butt lifts, gastric bands, nose jobs and breast enlargements, luring customers with prices five times cheaper than in Britain.

The findings come after the death of Janet Savage, 54, who suffered fatal injuries on the operating table at a Turkish clinic while undergoing a gastric bypass procedure.

She paid £2,750 for the treatment, including flights to Turkey. This is a fraction of the £5,000 to £15,000 for a similar procedure in Britain.

MailOnline found nose jobs and Brazilian butt lifts advertised on the websites of several Turkish clinics for around £1,500 and £2,000 respectively.

Hayley Dowell, 38, (pictured) died after paying £7,000 for a ‘premium’ cosmetic surgery package including a Brazilian butt lift and tummy tuck in Turkey in October 2023

Kaydell Brown, 38, (pictured) died after paying just £5,400 for a ‘mummy MOT’ – a package deal that includes a BBL, tummy tuck and breast job – in Turkey in March

By comparison, such operations can cost more than £7,000 to £8,000 in Britain.

Breast corrections, including lifts and augmentations, were offered for just £2,000, compared to more than £8,000 in Britain.

Tummy tucks were priced by some Turks at just under £2,500, five times less than the more than £10,000 such an operation can cost in Britain.

Meanwhile, MailOnline discovered bariatric surgery, the same type of weight-loss procedure that killed Mrs Savage, priced from £2,500.

Many clinics, such as the major Turkish hospital chain Medicine Park, offer a package including accommodation and flights, making the operation itself even cheaper.

One advert on another clinic’s website claimed: ‘Don’t regret paying too much for the exact same treatment.’

But British surgeons warned ultra-cheap prices are a ‘red flag’.

Charles Durrant, a plastic surgeon at Ad Nova in Portsmouth, said British surgeons are more expensive because they are covered by expensive insurance, which can provide financial protection if something goes wrong.

Mother-of-two Kaydell, who died after cosmetic surgery in Turkey, is pictured with her two sons

Liposuction, Brazilian butt lifts, eye color changing laser treatments and hymenoplasties are all offered in clinics across Turkey

Glamorous Ms Savage suffered fatal injuries on the operating table in a Turkish clinic

Hayley Butler, 40, (pictured) died of complications after traveling to Turkey for stomach surgery

This is just one of many “catches,” with low-cost procedures, he said.

‘Chances are they are not using the most modern equipment, which may mean a higher risk of complications and a less desirable outcome.’

It is for these reasons that extraordinary price differences are a “red flag,” he said.

“If you’re racing to get the lowest price possible, shortcuts will be taken. You will be less skilled, have less effective equipment and short-change aftercare.”

“There’s a lot of truth in the ‘you get what you pay for.’

And he emphasized that such a false cut “could ultimately cost you your life.”

‘There have been several deaths in Turkey and not in Britain, that’s a pretty obvious statistic.’

He added that a lesser-known aspect of the equation was what he called “collusion” by the Turkish government in luring Britons to undergo surgery in the country.

“Cosmetic tourism is such a big financial income for the government that all these pop-ups will receive government funding,” he said.

“The government will subsidize the construction of the clinic, they will subsidize hotel stays and flights for patients, and so on.”

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has previously estimated the cost of treating such failed patients in Britain at around £15,000, and with more than 300 known patients that puts the bill at around £4.8 million.

Some Turkish agencies, like this example from Medicine Park, tried to entice Brits with ‘limited offers’ for major operations

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons analyzed 324 cases of Britons needing medical treatment or corrective surgery after going under the knife abroad since 2018

Michelle Heath (pictured) appeared on This Morning in April to talk about her horror plastic surgery that has left her scarred for life

Turkish clinics offer packages including VIP airport transfers in ‘luxury vehicles’ and 5-star hotel stays with breakfast

It comes as research shows four in five patients who failed cosmetic surgeries abroad admitted to being lured by budget prices.

The survey of more than 100 patients, carried out by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), found that almost 60 per cent paid less than £5,000 for their procedure.

Of the total, two-thirds said they would not make the same decision to give the procedure a second chance, while almost half expressed ‘outright regret’ about the ordeal.

Nora Nugent, president of BAAPS, said: ‘Potential patients need to understand the risks associated with traveling abroad for cosmetic surgery, beyond just the financial savings.’

Concerns about the emergence and risks of budgetary operations abroad have been raised for years.

At least 25 Britons are known to have died during or shortly after surgery in Turkey in recent years.

Many more people were injured, with some requiring life-saving care on return to Britain due to complications such as infections.

While all surgery carries risks, campaigners and surgeons have urged Britons to do thorough research before choosing to go under the knife abroad.