The hidden corner of "aesthetic tourism": Customers pay a heavy price for brokerage ads

Losing more than 1 billion VND to exchange for a damaged nose with severe complications

Although becoming a trend in recent years, information about aesthetic tourism services is not much. The lack of information leads many customers to be seduced by unreliable brokerage units.

Until now, I am still very scared and haunted. I spent more than 300 million VND, but in return, my nose was damaged, my psychology was panicked and my health was affected.

That is the sharing of Ms. Trang Le (Hanoi) with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, after many days of treatment for complications from a nose job at a beauty salon in China.

Ms. Trang Le said that in May 2025, through research on social networks, she learned about a person specializing in connecting and taking customers abroad for cosmetic surgery combined with tourism.

Many times Ms. Trang Le asked about the hospital she planned to operate on, but the broker refused to provide information, with the reason that the hospital name was "personal property", which could not be disclosed. Because of trust, Ms. Trang Le decided to deposit, and then went to China to perform cosmetic surgery.

In March 2026, at a beauty salon in China, Ms. Trang Le performed a nose and chin correction service, with an initial cost reported at more than 560 million VND, later reduced to about 555 million VND (of which the cost of nose surgery was 300 million VND).

During this trip, the broker informed her that he was busy with family matters and would not go abroad with her to perform the service. She was only welcomed and supported by an interpreter and a partner employee. She asked many times about the signing of a contract between the two parties, but received no response.

About 10 days after the surgery, Ms. Trang Le's nose began to swell abnormally. Initially, doctors abroad only aspirated fluids and prescribed medicine to drink. However, when returning to Vietnam, the situation became increasingly serious. The tip of the nose and bridge of the nose continuously swollen and red.

After many reflections, the broker advised Ms. Trang Le to come to Bach Mai Hospital for examination. As a result, the doctor concluded that she had a Staphylococcus aureus infection.

I wanted to be treated in Vietnam, but the broker said I had to immediately return abroad because the surgery was performed by a doctor there," Ms. Trang Le recounted.

When returning abroad, Ms. Trang Le no longer trusted her old doctor and chose another doctor for treatment. However, according to her, the broker did not pay the treatment costs as committed. In the end, Ms. Trang Le had to pay all the treatment costs herself.

The total amount of money to handle complications has exceeded 700 million VND. The amount related to the nose alone, including the initial surgery and subsequent treatment, has increased to more than 1 billion VND. I have to be anesthetized many times, so my body is very tired. The nose has had to remove the material for treatment, until now I am still worried about whether there will be any further effects later," Ms. Trang Le said.

Going abroad for cosmetic surgery... then disillusioned

During the investigation, reporters continued to approach Ms. Nguyen Nhat Linh (character name has been changed, residing in Hanoi), a case of complications after a trip abroad for cosmetic surgery.

Ms. Linh went to a cosmetic surgery facility abroad through a social network broker, providing "beauty tourism" services. In addition to nose surgery, she intervened in the eye area due to signs of aging.

The broker affirmed that he would directly welcome Ms. Nguyen Nhat Linh in China, take her to large beauty salons, and meet doctors who were introduced as having high expertise.

However, when setting foot abroad, everything was completely opposite. Brokers did not appear as promised, but announced that there was an emergency and they had to return to Vietnam. "I asked many times about the warranty contract but no document was signed. The commitments were only sent via Facebook," Ms. Nguyen Nhat Linh said.

At the beauty salon, Ms. Nhat Linh was advised on rhinoplasty with autologous cartilage with a cost of about 190 million VND, eyelid surgery costing more than 75 million VND and core lift costing 29 million VND.

According to Ms. Linh, initially the hospital refused anesthesia because she had a history of asthma and allergic rhinitis. However, when she entered the operating room, the doctor continued to advise her to perform an additional eye fat grafting service. Ms. Linh did not agree.

What made her uneasy was that the hospital later announced that anesthesia could be given if she agreed to perform this additional service.

Before that, they said I could not be anesthetized, but when I got on the operating table, they said if I wanted to, I could still. I was really insecure and did not implant fat," Ms. Linh recalled.

After eyelid surgery, Ms. Linh was taken to another cosmetic facility for rhinoplasty. Although she repeatedly asked for the identity of the performing doctor, when she had changed clothes to prepare to enter the operating room, she still had not seen the doctor.

Only when I resolutely requested, did the broker provide the doctor's name for me to find out for myself. I searched but there was almost no information. This person is also not a famous doctor or director as I was introduced to before," Ms. Linh recounted.

According to Ms. Linh, when asked about stopping surgery, she was informed that the deposit would not be refunded, and she may have to bear additional costs. In a state of fatigue and facing the risk of losing the money she had paid, she decided to continue.

At that time, I thought if I didn't do it, I would lose money, and have to return alone after traveling a very long distance. In the end, I had to "dare to do it", Ms. Linh said. After that, Ms. Linh transferred money to the broker's personal account.

Returning to Vietnam, Ms. Linh discovered that one eye could not be completely closed. The CT scan results later showed that the nasal bridge was misaligned. She said she contacted the broker to complain, but did not receive a response.

According to Ms. Linh, the social media account of the broker then stopped operating for a while and then reappeared and continued to invite "aesthetic tours".