Nightmare Under The Knife: I Was Wooed By The Bargain Price Of Surgery Abroad! | This Morning

Michelle Heath (41), was delighted with the £4,000 surgery she found abroad to remove excess skin following her impressive 10 stone weight loss. But her treatment in Turkey became a nightmare, returning to Belfast with open wounds, serious infections, and says surgeons performed liposuction, and gave her a Brazilian bum lift without permission. Michelle needed further surgeries and skin grafts to correct the botched procedures. But the consequences could have been worse, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office say they are aware of 22 British nationals who have died in Turkey since January 2019 following medical tourism visits. Today Michelle tells her story alongside the UK’s leading cosmetic surgeon, Dr Riccardo Frati, with a warning for anyone considering surgery abroad.
Broadcast on 11/04/2023
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[@jujutrini8412]

I am glad this woman survived so she can inform us all about what is really happening to people. Good for her. Hold your head up, you’re helping people.

[@philly1076]

Glad she lived through it. God bless her.

[@Sawk_King]

She’s lucky to be alive. I’ve had friends who’ve had great results in Turkey but also friends who have had terrible experiences and been admitted to hospital. Is it worth it???

[@FrankieTalki]

UK is sickening, Dentist prices are shocking, people with mental issues who has major dental issues from self neglect which is not there fault, they expect them to pay thousands, sad.

[@leahkeenan4505]

A girl from my town died two weeks ago getting weight loss surgery in Turkey she was only 28 so sad!

[@Munchkin.199.-.]

RIP to this poor girl , condolences to the family.

[@TheMrSEBSTER]

Hi Leah, where is this?

[@wecandothiswarriors]

Work on your inner self..I did and still am now.God bless this lady

[@aprilhughes3749]

In Turkey the surgeons don’t have overheads, don’t may medical indemnity insurance and are only paid for the procedure not the after care

[@louisegould8840]

That’s really bad. I had surgery in turkey and had the complete opposite. Couldn’t fault them at all and very happy with what I got. I did research my surgeon for about a year before and also I knew a few friends that had gone to the same surgeon so they had great things to say.

[@jujutrini8412]

That’s the way to do it. Unfortunately a lot of people don’t do that and are silly.

[@shivon0708]

Who did you have your surgery with?

[@bekarni442]

Sane here. I'm really pleased with my results. But I did loads of research and followed my close friends recommendation before deciding on the surgeon.

[@fatumafullnetwork4615]

hi. am Zahra would you mind to recommend the surgeon and clinic please

[@1Veeh]

Hi, can you please give me the name of your surgeon?? Thank you.

[@alidolloso1704]

Thank God for the NHS

[@sherimillman53]

Save your money in the UK don't ruin your body and take risk in Turkey. I cannot believe what they did to this lovely lady. 😢

[@Sherri1971US]

Her fault.

[@Thearrowstrikes]

Have a couple of relatives that are considering to do this, I’m really concerned for them but I don’t think I’ll be able to dissuade them. Thanks for this video though I will definitely be sharing.

[@zarahs8240]

Love the hosts. ❤

[@jenniferstrachan7084]

Sadly the expense to the NHS is dreadful for those who then need treatment for when things go wrong Someone on a tictok feed showed how her bariatric surgery went wrong resulting in her having a leak from her stomach making her very poorly and how much the NHS has had to spend to get her botched surgery addressed One of the comments made by her was that she did not feel guilty about this expense because she had paid into the NHS system but of course she hadn’t not by any stretch of the imagination Our NHS can not afford to address botched cosmetic surgery performed abroad!!!

[@donnabaardsen5372]

Great point, Jennifer. American here. In the U.S., people go to Mexico; however, our insurance companies cover dental and medical care there, because it's cheaper. American's too, must be extremely careful going there, for the same reasons as this woman here.

[@ghfamghgam1172]

Agree but obesity also have a great strain on nhs and there’s not enough uk based support so people get desperate. It’s a catch 22.

[@jacquelineithell307]

Sense at last if going aboard for this you should by Law take out insurance , if you have not then not NHS problem simple

[@marymutyaba6322]

I couldn't do the surgery. I was overweight after my 1st child was born back in 2013 but lost 14kg. Now I have 2 kids and I'm slim.

[@rosieravenclaw1521]

I work in the op room and their is always a reason something is cheaper ! Feel sorry for this lady but the NHS cannot keep affording to treat these botched surgery's.

[@NoNameEst1992]

well yes the reason it's cheaper is because the cost of living is cheaper over there and medical bills etc... That's why EVERYTHING is cheaper in Turkey. I didnt have any problems with my operation, that's because I did my research beforehand

[@user-mq4hr1ly4b]

@@NoNameEst1992 I agree, I know two different people who had a nose job and one who had a hair transplant and were fine

[@Theresebonath6077]

I saw a documentary about this here in Sweden and the newsteam were going down to Turkey with a hidden camera and it was scary how they behaved and how many ppl they have destroyd they are slaughterhouses really

[@bekarni442]

I had surgery in Turkey and I'm really pleased with my results. But I did loads of research and followed my close friends recommendation before deciding on the surgeon. I did not base my decision on social media as we all know its very much manipulated.

[@michellemarum]

Hello, would you kindly tell us which surgeon you went to? Thank you 😊

[@wecandothiswarriors]

Absolutely do THE research

[@shocker147]

Same. I went in December 2021 for liposuction and hair transplant. The results were excellent.

[@janicerae1649]

Hi can you please tell me your surgeon and who you went with.

[@frankiefranfraser]

Yes, I used a FB friends successful surgeon and met 2 other successes out there. Same clinic and same surgeon

[@rebeccastallard4739]

Someone from my town of falkirk just died from surgery abroad in Turkey. Her funeral is this month and she was only 28

[@inelsclassics4378]

Surgery, immobility, long distance travel all increase risks of blood clots. Anyone traveling soon after major surgery is putting themselves at risk.

[@maddiemover5894]

The hosts are a bit all over the place 👀

[@southlondon2051]

Better than that pervert Schofield and holly lookatme

[@mimig6511]

I am not sure either of them have been fully briefed.

[@RA-wp6th]

I will never understand why people leave the UK, a well regulated country, to get surgery abroad. If you can’t afford the surgery then wait till you can afford it. When I was in my early 20s and on not much money, I still managed to save for cosmetic surgery in the UK. It cost 5k in the UK with what I had done.

[@Amber-hz8mu]

Glad she’s ok x

[@ambs23av]

Not everywhere in turkey is bad. You need to do your research and not just go with a price. There is equally just as bad surgeons in the uk

[@NoNameEst1992]

Yeah I said the samex I went too Turkey for surgery and it was fine, I was well looked after.. If you searched the Internet you'll find jsit as many botch jobs in England A bad surgeon is a bad surgeon and a good one is a good one. Doesn't matter if your Turkish, English, French or japanese

[@alisonalibongo3177]

This is why you should never go to another country to save money. If medically something goes wrong at least in your own country you get help. I feel for these people really. I would rather pay more knowing you are safe.

[@eilidhm9322]

I don’t understand how people continue to go abroad for these procedures, the poor woman said she hadn’t heard any horror stories but I don’t know how. Its the first thing I think about when turkey and surgery is mentioned!

[@NoNameEst1992]

​​​@@eilidhm9322because you can find just as many problems in English Surgeons if you searched the Internet for it. There are plenty of botched operations over here just as there are in Turkey. You may hear about a few botched Turkey operations here and there but there are thousands and thousands being done over in Turkey all the time and the fact you hear of so few bad ones shows that mostly they turn out OK. I went over myself for some surgery and I cant complain about anything, the surgeon was great the doctors couldn't do enough for me, the driver took me everywhere, they fed mex looked after me I had a patient coordinator who checked up on me almost every day, the hotel was lovely and so on. 6 days away for £2100 for an operation that would've cost me £4500 in England just too sit in an English hospital for a couple days. It's not cheaper because it's all botched it's cheaper because the cost of living is cheaper. You just have too do your research first. A good Turkish surgeon is just the same as a good English surgeon. They both have the same profession. Its only Different if its a good English surgeon vs a bad Turkish surgeon but you could just as easily get a bad English surgeon vs a good Turkish surgeon if you don't do research.

[@elleeme9451]

Poor lady. I blame the surgeons and beauty therapists etc. They are the drug dealers supplying this habit and making money from it.

[@elizabethleboho9752]

Most people do surgery for health reasons, bp, prediabetes etc.

[@brendarudman8806]

Poor woman ☹️

[@AmiraExplorer]

That doctor shouldn’t be in there, Frati has botched many women, the irony

[@h.louise4746]

He was half asleep. Slow to answer questions. Not great.

[@THECHRISTIANSTV]

Get this woman on to present she's brilliant the surgeon was useless and his suit was even worse

[@mommac0]

I had my teeth done in Turkey 4 years ago, 20 teeth. Since 6 of my Turkish teeth have broken, I didn’t know, they looked great to begin with, there extremely thin 😞 it now costs me £650 every time a tooth breaks and most uk dentists won’t work on them at all!!! The famous ‘cheap’ Turkey teeth have not only ended up a huge cost for the rest of my life. The guarantee they offer isn’t true, my advice, stay far away!

[@philly1076]

so glad i listened to my english dentist, about not going abroad

[@mysteriesuntold3393]

Yeah that's true can be hit or miss with these things it's tricky...

[@lolsamftw]

Did they shave your real teeth down into stumps?

[@cwallace2504]

This morning this is a bit of a kick in the face to have one of the uk’s worst botchers on your couch talking about bad surgeons abroad! I fully respect Michelle for coming on your show and talking about her experience. But it was just as important for you to have done research on the surgeon you choose to bring on your show a surgeon who his self has pending cases against him for bad surgeries this just beats the whole objective of this story. Shame on you!

[@jeanettehodges5158]

Omg !

[@juliewallace3425]

Why can’t they name them 🙄

[@HUYI1]

I don't blame her for going abroad to get the surgery for cheaper, paying 20k is a lot of money, UK can be a rip off 😮

[@michaelwilkinson2928]

In the UK all medical practitioners are fully registered in their specialty. All doctors have an annual appraisal and a revalidation every five years.

[@freyawood1543]

I wouldn’t call it a rip off, you get what you pay for. In the UK. It costs a lot of money to pay someone who is not only qualified but also ethically sound. That is worth all the money in the world if you want the surgery bad enough. Just my thoughts on it, I appreciate your thoughts on it though too x

[@lindanoble7047]

Are you serious?

[@jenniferstrachan7084]

Yes but by the time the NHS has put right the botched surgery it has cost the tax payer more money than £20000 to put it right

[@MsPipaaaaaaaaa]

I’d rather pay the full price of £20,000 then pay the price of possibly my life or complications ect

[@deemehmet9018]

I got botched in harley street

[@AR-ml9pe]

Crazy

[@hughdonaldson]

What the reason to why the piece is a bit high, would rather pay 20k odd for a good plastic surgeon. At least I know I would be getting good care, during and after from them.. So what that she paid into the system. Wonder to how much the cost to the NHS to fix the botched surgeries.

[@wecandothiswarriors]

I went to Colombia three times for surgery and each time I was OK.. Great surgeons, but PLEASE make sure you are in tip top condition before you go. Your heart,lungs ,diet etc.. RESEARCH, I did for three years

[@chicagogyrl4846]

Did she sue the surgeon??

[@Gagging4Lit]

Surely she can sue him as he didn't perform the surgeries she requested, he did a bbl which she didn't want... guessing she signed a form but doesn't sound like he fulfilled his end of the bargain.... hope she does get some kind of recompense from him.

[@renataShe644]

Josie is so beautiful❤

[@lindanoble7047]

She is, but I find her accent a little annoying

[@peachmelba1637]

​@@lindanoble7047 well you can't help your accent unless you have elecution lessons and then people call you for forgetting your roots!!! Can't win!

[@southlondon2051]

​@@lindanoble7047 so is your face 😂😂

[@clarestorey1982]

She looks amazing, so funny👌

[@NoNameEst1992]

​@@peachmelba1637Maybe she could have it changed in Turkey? 😂 I joke

[@Theresebonath6077]

How much is a stone ? Does anyone know in kilo ?

[@michaelwilkinson2928]

A stone is 14lb or 6.35kg

[@Theresebonath6077]

@@michaelwilkinson2928 Thank you so much 🙂

[@chicagogyrl4846]

With the plane fare, plus the extra business class fare, medicine, hotel, ect. that she had to pay, she could have gotten her surgeries done at home! And she said that she didn’t have much money, but she had the money for the extra plane fare, medicine, ect. !

[@CatsandJP]

Just why do it, vanity is not worth the price. It’s whats inside that matters most. Learn to be comfortable in your own skin.

[@powerofloveism]

It is an identity crisis, I have been listening to so many victims of the transgender movement who were just butchered and sent out to Pasture, the way I was. I was a fifteen year old girl uncomfortable with boobs , No one even presented possibly helping me figure out what was causing the discomfort in the first place that made me feel like I couldn't go to school or face people as long as my breasts were so large. Years later I realize it was my reaction and response to kids at school and full grown adults that focused only on my breasts and I spent a lot of time in my bedroom trying to hide them and protect myself from hurtful comments.

[@winterain17]

Skin surgery after weightloss is more about avoiding skin infections like in between folds for example and being able to move around better because the skin is no longer heavy and hurtful. It is also for aesthetic reasons but the main concern is practical.

[@lindanoble7047]

She needed to lose the weight for her health l'm sure. If you have 10 stone to lose then it's clearly an issue

[@Darkangel-hy8ev]

Cats PJ After putting in all that hard work to lose that weigh, it is a great achievement to be proud of, you then don't want to be walking round with a load of loose skin, that looks bloody awful not to mention very uncomfortable for her!! Not exactly about being comfortable in your own skin, she had way to much of it, very different matter! She deserved to finish her journey! Just a shame she went to some butchers!!

[@CatsandJP]

@@Darkangel-hy8ev don’t let yourself get overweight in the first place, choose a healthy lifestyle because there is more awareness about health nowadays than there ever has been before. It is a lifestyle choice you make yourself.

[@jydeinden]

What I dont understand is.. IF you really NEEDS the operation, WHY on earth doesnt you save up the money it costs and gets it done in a save inviorment?! If you can save 50 % on a operation, you should mayyyybe think about if the price is too cheap...

[@peterskdtmortensen9093]

10 stones=63kg

[@kylewilliams5761]

Have the comments always been on for this channel.?

[@Angela.Phillips]

Nope iv never seen them on before 😮

[@kylewilliams5761]

That's because the "Queen's" have left then.!!

[@user-cy4vw1qj9m]

The female host is very loud and talking too much.

[@darrelltregear756]

Stay off the turkey.

[@dubtownman9508]

That female host should calm down and let the guest speak

[@donnabaardsen5372]

😅

[@cathrynsuarez1695]

Completely disagree

[@southlondon2051]

Better than that pervert Schofield and holly lookatme

[@chicagogyrl4846]

Can this woman talk any faster??!

[@Sherri1971US]

These people always blame the doctors never that the make bad decisions. Have your surgery in your own country we’re is safe. Now ever body sues. She wanted cheap and she got it. Now you want to cash in on your surgery.

[@frances4007]

Don’t be nuts 😂get American TV presenters to speak about weights in stone

[@BJ-rd2ih]

it annoys me all these people wanting cheap surgeries abroad cosmetic procedures and then when it all goes wrong they expect to get free treatment on the nhs taking the place of people who need help and treatment/surgery through know fault of their own,also why did she think she would get the same amount of care and treatment from somewhere offering cheaper surgery and also she was advised not to do it no one to blame but themselves,Sorry

[@minnieXdXminnie]

This female presenter is a bit annoying….

[@LilFoxyCosplay]

Legit thought I was the only one thinking this

[@southlondon2051]

Better than that pervert Schofield and holly lookatme

[@tommyclegget3335]

​@@LilFoxyCosplay Josie gibson is fantastic!

[@LilFoxyCosplay]

@@tommyclegget3335 nothing against her I'm just not a fan

[@donnabaardsen5372]

American here. Please, when talking about weight loss, include the numbers in pounds. Using the word "stone" isn't understood here. Thanks! Wow, what a horror story! Poor woman! I'm all for reasonable plastic surgery; however, choose your surgeon and hospital VERY carefully!

[@HUYI1]

This is a UK TV show not American lol sorry, maybe Google to convert into pounds instead 😏😏

[@silentmoon123]

Both are weird, everyone should just use kg 😃

[@michaelwilkinson2928]

One stone is 14lb.

[@n1ckyr930]

We mostly use stones and pounds in the uk when discussing the weight of people. A quick google will tell you how many lbs there are in a stone so you can convert it to whatever measurement you find easiest.

[@bethp3320]

LOL the rest of the world doesn’t have to pander to Americans. Convert it on google