Plastic Surgery in Vietnam: Recovery, Risks & Clinic Checks

Who may legally do plastic surgery in Vietnam?

Only a licensed medical facility of the right type, with a practitioner working inside the scope of their licence. The retrieved laws set the facility type and the authorized scope, not the exact doctor title required. Two laws set this out: the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, No. 15/2023, and Decree 96/2023.

Start with the place. Decree 96/2023 lists cosmetic services that only certain places may offer. One item is fixing a defect or reshaping the body as the client wants. It names the skin, nose, eyes, lips, face, chest, belly, buttocks and other parts. A place that offers these services, or uses products with a drug effect, must be set up as a hospital, a general clinic or a specialty clinic.

Then the person. The law says a practising licence shows the holder's professional title, scope of practice and term. The Minister of Health sets the scope for each title. Treating outside that scope is banned. The only exceptions are emergencies and work the authorities call a practitioner to do.

The law adds more bans. A clinic may not treat anyone without a licence to operate, or while it is shut down. No one may use a method or a medical tool the state has not allowed. Ads may not go past the scope that was approved, and false medical ads are banned. Last, surgery may go ahead only once the patient, or a legal stand-in, agrees.

The Ministry of Health also sets out how the work should be done. In October 2026 one of its offices posted that it had issued Decisions 3073 and 3074. The two set out step by step guides for plastic and cosmetic surgery, in two books.

Sources: Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15 (consolidated text); Decree 96/2023/ND-CP; Ministry of Health, Department of Medical Examination and Treatment (kcb.vn), October 2026

Spa, clinic or hospital: who may do what

A spa is not a clinic, even if its sign says "cosmetic". The table sets each type of business next to what the law or the city health department says it may and may not do.

Why does this matter? In December 2022 the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health said there is no clear rule on what beauty shops may call themselves. Many pick names like "Thẩm mỹ viện" (beauty institute). The department said this is one reason people mix up a spa and a clinic.

Hanoi officials report the same kind of problem. In January 2026 the Yen Hoa ward portal, run by a local government office in Hanoi, put out a warning. It said some places that look like skin care spas do filler shots and even surgery in secret, with no licence.

Sources: Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15 (consolidated text); Decree 96/2023/ND-CP; Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, December 2022 (beauty shop signs); Yen Hoa ward (Hanoi) portal, January 2026

What to check before you book, and who says so

Twelve checks come from Vietnamese officials and foreign health bodies. Each row names the body that gives the advice, so you can see which is Vietnamese and which is not.

The Ho Chi Minh City advice is plain. In September 2023 the department spoke to people who want beauty work that goes into the body. It named shots, surgery, liposuction and lasers. For that work, it said, pick a hospital or a cosmetic clinic. The clinic should hold a medical licence and a list of methods the health officials have approved. It also said never to pick a beauty place just by the name on its sign.

Surgeons' groups abroad say why the checks matter. The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons says many patients who went overseas first met their surgeon on the day of surgery. Most of the talks before that, it says, were with go-betweens who may have had no medical training. BAAPS, the UK group, tells its members that the surgeon and the clinic should both answer to the national health regulator.

Sources: Yen Hoa ward (Hanoi) portal, January 2026; Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, September 2023 (advice to residents); Decree 96/2023/ND-CP; ISAPS, Should you travel abroad for cosmetic surgery?; NHS, Cosmetic surgery abroad; UK government Travel Aware, Surgery abroad; BAAPS Cosmetic Tourism Guidelines for members, September 2023; US Department of State, Vietnam travel advisory, Health; Smartraveller, Going overseas for a medical procedure; Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Tourism

How to look up a clinic or surgeon licence in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi each run an official lookup, in Vietnamese. You can search a facility or a person by name.

• Ho Chi Minh City: thongtin.medinet.org.vn. The home page has three searches: doctor or health worker (Người hành nghề Y), medical clinic (Cơ sở khám chữa bệnh) and cosmetic clinic (Cơ sở thẩm mỹ). In 2017 the department said it had built a tool to look up clinic licences and doctors' licences fast.
• Hanoi: suckhoethudo.vn/data-lookup. It says you can search clinics, doctors' licences and beauty places, among other data.

The department uses the same kind of check itself. In one case in October 2024, it says a quick search in its own lookup app showed the address had no licence to treat patients.

Did you find a place doing cosmetic work with no licence? The Ho Chi Minh City department asks people to report it to the state. For licence checks in all of healthcare, see our guide to healthcare in Vietnam for foreigners.

Sources: Ho Chi Minh City licence lookup (thongtin.medinet.org.vn); Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, August 2017 (lookup software); Hanoi health data lookup (suckhoethudo.vn); Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, October 2024 (two unlicensed facilities); Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, August 2024 (five groups of solutions)

Is Vietnam a good place for plastic surgery?

No official body we found rates Vietnam for cosmetic surgery. This page gives no verdict either. What foreign governments put out is warnings.

The US State Department says Vietnam has many places for elective or cosmetic surgery. But it says the quality of care varies widely. It says to make sure emergency medical facilities are available, and that the professionals are accredited and qualified. It strongly urges extra insurance that pays for a medical evacuation. Australia's Smartraveller says care in Vietnam varies and is mostly below Australian standards. It adds that foreign private clinics exist in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. It also puts cosmetic surgery first on its list of the things Australians most often go abroad for.

Surgeons' groups speak about surgery abroad in general, not about Vietnam. The ASPS, a US surgeons' group, says infection is the most common problem in patients who go abroad. It also lists ugly scars, pools of blood under the skin and results the patient does not like. It says products and devices used in other countries may not have been tested or approved by the US FDA. The CDC says some countries may use poor quality medical tools, or fake medicines.

The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons says the training, the clinics and the products used abroad may not always meet the bar set at home. It does not back mixing surgery with a holiday. The CDC adds a point that holds in every country. All surgery has risks, it says, and a clinic's seal of approval does not promise a good result.

Sources: US Department of State, Vietnam travel advisory, Health; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice; Smartraveller, Going overseas for a medical procedure; American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Surgery Tourism briefing paper; CDC Travelers' Health, Medical Tourism; Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Tourism; Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, statement on cosmetic tourism, January 2024

What goes wrong: Vietnamese health department reports

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health publishes reports on cosmetic surgery incidents. They show what the city itself says goes wrong. We quote what the department said and when, and leave out business names.

• June 2024: the department put out reports from top hospitals about harm at private cosmetic clinics. One records a large stroke on the left side of the brain. The cause was fat that blocked blood flow, after the patient's own fat was moved in surgery.
• October 2024: the 115 emergency centre told the department about a patient. The patient was thought to have a severe allergic reaction after belly liposuction at a place in District 1. A penalty record on the same page lists giving medical care with no licence. The extra penalty was shutting the place for 18 months.
• May 2025: at a patient safety meeting, the department said experts named the main causes of harm in cosmetic work. Staff were not signed up to practise the right way. Methods went past what was allowed. Steps were not followed. And there were gaps in germ control. The department also said harm can happen even when the doctor follows the right steps.

The department has said what it wants to fix. In August 2024 it put tight licence checks at the top of its list. That means the doctor's cosmetic licence, and the review that lets a clinic offer cosmetic work. It also said it would ask the Ministry of Health for rules to tightly control the drugs, supplies and medical tools used in this work.

Sources: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, June 2024 (hospital incident reports); Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, October 2024 (two unlicensed facilities); Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, May 2025 (patient safety conference); Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, August 2024 (five groups of solutions)

What plastic surgery in Vietnam costs

No official price list for cosmetic surgery was found, so this page prints no price. We looked for one from the Ministry of Health, Vietnam Social Security and foreign embassies. We found none.

The official price rule we found is in Law No. 15/2023, Article 110(8). A private facility has the right to decide its own prices. It must also declare them and post them in public. So the clinic's posted list is the price the law requires, and asking for a written quote is a sensible check.

The surgery fee is not the whole cost. Smartraveller says you pay for your own care abroad. If you need more care or a medical flight home, you, your family or your insurer pays. BAAPS says the NHS in the UK will most often treat problems that put life at risk. But you may have to pay for other problems if you had surgery abroad. The UK Foreign Office says planned care abroad is a private deal. So it can rarely help with problems over care or costs.

Questions to get answered in writing before you pay, drawn from the sources here:

• Is the price on the clinic's posted price list? The law says private clinics must post prices.
• Who will pay for revision surgery, if it is needed? ISAPS suggests asking.
• What insurance does the practice hold against negligence, and what are the local malpractice laws? Also from ISAPS.
• Which clinic at home will give follow-up care, and which doctor will see you if there are problems? ISAPS says to check this in advance.

Sources: Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15 (consolidated text); Smartraveller, Going overseas for a medical procedure; BAAPS, Cosmetic Tourism: What You Need To Know; GOV.UK (FCDO), Medical emergencies, treatment and hospitalisation abroad; ISAPS, Should you travel abroad for cosmetic surgery?; ISAPS, Make a Plan

Rhinoplasty in Vietnam: risks and recovery

The nose is on the list in Decree 96/2023. So a nose job belongs in a hospital, a general clinic or a specialty clinic. The risks below come from UK and US bodies. They are not about Vietnam in particular.

The NHS says nose surgery can now and then cause lasting trouble breathing. It can also harm the wall between the nostrils, change your sense of smell or cause heavy nosebleeds. The ASPS list includes risks from anaesthesia, numbness or pain in the skin, trouble breathing and infection. It says a hole in the wall between the nostrils is rare. More surgery may be needed, it says, and it may not be possible to fix.

Recovery takes time. The NHS says you may need up to 2 weeks off work. The full effect can take several months, and swelling can take up to 6 months to go. The ASPS suggests waiting 7 to 10 days before flying after face procedures, rhinoplasty included. We found no official data on regret rates, or on what age is too late for a nose job.

Sources: Decree 96/2023/ND-CP; NHS, Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty); ASPS, Rhinoplasty Risks and Safety; American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Surgery Tourism briefing paper

Liposuction in Vietnam: risks and recovery

Liposuction comes up in several Vietnamese official warnings. The Ho Chi Minh City department says its inspectors have caught skin care spas doing it in secret. Its October 2024 report, above, began with a patient who fell ill after belly liposuction.

The NHS says liposuction can now and then cause problems. Among them are numbness that can last for months, a change in skin colour, fluid in the lungs, a blood clot in the lungs and harm to organs inside the body. The ASPS list includes risks from anaesthesia, bruising, harm to nerves, blood vessels and organs, deep vein clots, heart and lung problems, and infection. It says extra care is needed when a lot of fat is taken out, most often more than five litres.

The NHS gives a general guide to recovery. Stitches come out after about a week, unless they dissolve. Gentle exercise may be possible at around 3 to 4 weeks. Strenuous activity is avoided for 10 to 12 weeks, always checking with the surgeon first. The result may not show until the swelling goes, and the area can take up to 6 months to settle. We found no official source on what happens 10 or 20 years after liposuction.

Sources: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, December 2022 (beauty shop signs); Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, October 2024 (two unlicensed facilities); NHS, Liposuction; ASPS, Liposuction Risks and Safety

Breast augmentation in Vietnam

The chest is on Decree 96/2023's list, so breast surgery falls under the same rules as the rest of this page. One US fact frames any implant decision: the FDA says breast implants are not lifetime devices, and you should assume more surgery will be needed. For implants sold in the US, the FDA requires a patient checklist and a device card with the implant's serial or lot number. That is a US rule. We could not confirm a Vietnamese one. Implant types, the device card, recovery and costs are covered in our breast augmentation in Vietnam guide.

Sources: Decree 96/2023/ND-CP; FDA, Things to Consider Before Getting Breast Implants; FDA Consumer Update, What to Know About Breast Implants

How long to wait before flying home after plastic surgery

It depends on which body you ask, from about 5 days to 4 weeks. The table puts every figure we found side by side. All of these bodies are in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand or are international. None gives a figure made for Vietnam.

Why wait at all? ISAPS says travelling too soon raises the risk of blood clots, including in the lungs. The CDC says a delay cuts the risks that come with changes in air pressure. BAAPS says a long haul flight usually means over 6 hours, but around 4 hours of total travel already changes the risk.

BAAPS also tells its members what patients should do on the trip. It recommends an aisle seat, plenty of fluids, moving during the flight and anti-clot stockings. BAAPS also says to speak to your surgeon before you finalise travel plans. SafeTravel New Zealand says to ask a health practitioner before you fly.

Sources: American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Surgery Tourism briefing paper; BAAPS, Cosmetic Tourism: What You Need To Know; BAAPS Cosmetic Tourism Guidelines for members, September 2023; NHS, Cosmetic surgery abroad; ISAPS, Make a Plan; CDC Travelers' Health, Medical Tourism; SafeTravel (New Zealand), Medical tourism

Follow-up care after you go home

Follow-up is a gap that several bodies abroad warn about. The NHS says clinics abroad may not give care after surgery, or not to UK standards. They may also have no health worker in the UK you can go to. The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons says easy access to the surgeon after complications is usually impossible once a patient is back in Australia.

BAAPS tells its members that the surgeon should see the patient at least once after surgery, before the trip home. Then calls or video checks should be set up at home. It suggests a first check 1 to 2 weeks after surgery, and more checks between 6 weeks and 6 months. After surgery, the ASPS says patients should not sunbathe, drink alcohol, swim, do water sports, take long tours or exercise.

Take your records with you. Vietnamese law gives patients the right to read and copy their medical record, and to get a summary of it. The CDC says to get copies of all records before you leave, and they may need translating into English. Cover for care in Vietnam is in our health insurance in Vietnam guide.

For a different elective procedure, our guide to laser eye surgery in Vietnam covers LASIK, PRK and SMILE, the risks and recovery.

Sources: NHS, Cosmetic surgery abroad; Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Tourism; BAAPS Cosmetic Tourism Guidelines for members, September 2023; American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Surgery Tourism briefing paper; Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15 (consolidated text); CDC Travelers' Health, Medical Tourism

What we could and could not confirm

This page was built from written records, read in October 2026. We did not visit a clinic, have surgery or speak to a surgeon. Here is what we could confirm.

• The Vietnamese rules quoted, from Law No. 15/2023 (consolidated text) and Decree 96/2023, both in the Official Gazette.
• The Ministry of Health news post on surgery guides. Seven pages from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health. The two city lookups and the Yen Hoa ward notice.
• Pages from governments and surgeons' groups in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand, and from ISAPS. Our fetch script could not open the US State Department, Smartraveller and Hanoi lookup pages, so we read them in a browser.

Here is what we could not confirm.

• Any official price in Vietnam for plastic surgery, a nose job, liposuction or breast implants.
• Which doctor title or specialty the rules require for cosmetic surgery. We could not open the circular that sets the scope of each title.
• The Ministry of Health's own 2024 letters on unlicensed beauty clinics, which are reported in the press. Their official pages no longer load.
• Whether implants used in Vietnam must be signed up with Vietnamese officials, and how a patient would check. Also whether Vietnam requires an implant card.
• Whether state health insurance in Vietnam pays for cosmetic surgery.
• How often problems or regret happen, in Vietnam or anywhere. Also any ranking of countries, clinics or surgeons.

The Ho Chi Minh City pages date from 2017 to 2025 and describe events at the time. Some NHS pages were past their own review dates when we read them.

Plastic surgery in Vietnam questions

Sources: US Department of State, Vietnam travel advisory, Health; Smartraveller, Vietnam travel advice; Law on Medical Examination and Treatment No. 15/2023/QH15 (consolidated text); Smartraveller, Going overseas for a medical procedure; CDC Travelers' Health, Medical Tourism; Ho Chi Minh City licence lookup (thongtin.medinet.org.vn); Hanoi health data lookup (suckhoethudo.vn); ISAPS, Should you travel abroad for cosmetic surgery?; NHS, Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty); American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Surgery Tourism briefing paper; GOV.UK (FCDO), Medical emergencies, treatment and hospitalisation abroad; BAAPS Cosmetic Tourism Guidelines for members, September 2023