Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NIP & TUCK
Wander around Recoleta, the ritzy neighborhood that is home to many of Buenos Aires' plastic sur-
gery clinics, and nobody bats an eyelid at someone walking down the street with plasters on their
faces - they've obviously just had a nip and tuck.
The president herself - Cristina Kirchner - is sometimes dubbed 'the queen of botox' in the local
media. It comes as no surprise, then, to learn that Argentina has the highest per capita ratio of plastic
surgery operations in the world. Reports suggest that one in 30 Argentines have had some sort of pro-
cedure during their lifetime.
Demand for plastic surgery has risen exponentially in the last decade, especilally with the boom in
'medical tourism.' Rather than paying up to US$15,000 for a facelift in the United States, some have
elected to head to the 'Paris of the South' and combine the surgery with a bit of tango, beef and sight-
seeing - for a third of the price.
Be aware, however, of the dangers of any medical procedure -
let alone
one on foreign turf where
you may not speak the language. If you're considering such a procedure, do your homework very,
very carefully and thoroughly.
