Beauty Link staff wrote this page on reviews in October 2026, citing the sources at the end of each part. Nothing here is medical advice, and no doctor has gone over it. A review cannot answer health questions about you; your surgeon can.
How to spot paid or fake reviews
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says some online reviews are fake, deceptive or manipulated. It suggests looking at a range of sources, including well known sites with impartial expert reviews.
The FTC also suggests these checks:
- Look at the dates. A burst of reviews over a short time can sometimes mean they are fake.
- Look at the reviewer. If someone made an account just to write one review, that review may be fake.
- Do not trust your eye alone. The FTC says it can be nearly impossible to tell a real review from a fake one just by reading it.
- Fake reviews are not always glowing. Some fake reviews are negative, written to harm a rival.
- Watch for rewards. Some sites add a label when a reviewer got something, like a free product, for writing a review.
For cosmetic surgery, add one more check. A review focused on the hotel or the shopping may leave your questions about hospital care unanswered.
Sources: US Federal Trade Commission
Before and after photos: what they show and what they do not
The NHS says a surgeon should be able to show before and after pictures of their work. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) suggests asking for before and after photos of each procedure, and what results are reasonable for you.
A photo shows someone else's body, not yours. So it helps to ask a few things about any photo set:
- Was the surgery done by the surgeon who would treat you?
- Is the case similar to yours?
- How long after surgery was the photo taken?
When Beauty Link introduces you to a hospital, it asks the hospital to share before and after photos of similar cases. You can ask these questions in the same chat.
Sources: NHS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Beauty Link team records
What a review cannot tell you
A good story does not tell you if a surgeon is qualified or a hospital is safe. healthdirect Australia says it can be difficult to get good information about a doctor's qualifications and experience in another country.
Reviews only go so far. Smartraveller, run by the Australian Government, lists checks that no review can stand in for:
- the hospital's accreditation from local authorities
- the surgeon's qualifications and accreditation, which an official website often lists
- indemnity and malpractice insurance held by both surgeon and hospital
- compare the risks you are told with the risks you heard about in Australia, and be wary if they sound much lower
A review may not describe what follow up care will involve. The NHS says overseas clinics may not provide follow up treatment, or not to the same standard. According to the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, Australian health services will likely be the ones to handle any problems after surgery abroad.
Sources: healthdirect Australia, Smartraveller, NHS, Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
Questions to ask a hospital about its reviews
None of these questions is rude. They are reasonable questions to ask a hospital. You can copy this list into your chat before you book:
- Is the surgeon in these reviews and photos the one who would treat me?
- What training and qualifications does my surgeon have, and how many operations like mine have they done?
- Can I see before and after photos of cases like mine?
- What are the risks of my procedure, and how are complications handled?
- Where will my follow up appointments be, and what happens if I need more surgery later?
- What insurance does the hospital or surgeon have, and would it cover me?
- Can I speak with someone who has had this procedure?
healthdirect Australia suggests asking yourself if you can speak to a person who has had the procedure, rather than only reading about it online. It also suggests asking yourself if you have been influenced by advertising or a low price.
Sources: NHS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, healthdirect Australia
How Beauty Link helps you check
We are a concierge and do no surgery. In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, we help you weigh hospitals on far more than what reviewers say. Patients pay nothing, as hospitals pay our fee. Every hospital we suggest is licensed and on the Ministry of Health register, whatever its online reviews say.
Here is how it works:
- Beauty Link introduces you to a hospital in a new WhatsApp group with the hospital's team and your Beauty Link advisor.
- It asks the hospital to introduce itself, talk through suitable options, and send a personal treatment plan and quote that explains what is included.
- It asks the hospital to share before and after photos of similar cases.
- An advisor in the chat translates, so you can put every question above to the hospital in plain English.
Beauty Link also suggests you read a hospital's Google reviews and, where you can, talk with people who had a similar procedure. Beauty Link is new, and it does not show patient reviews or ratings on this site yet.
To learn more, read is plastic surgery in Vietnam safe, our Vietnam plastic surgery hospital checks, and what a medical tourism coordinator does.
Sources: Beauty Link team records
Questions
Not on their own. Smartraveller says many overseas hospitals reach a standard similar to Australia's, yet quality in some countries can be poor. Check the licence, the surgeon and the aftercare plan before you book.
They may describe real experiences, but you may not be able to check who wrote them or what happened next. Read them for patterns, such as the same problem raised by many people. Then confirm what matters with the hospital in writing.
Photos can offer examples of another person's result. The NHS says a surgeon should be able to show before and after pictures of their work. Ask if the photos are of your surgeon's own work and of cases like yours, and ask your surgeon what results are reasonable for you.
Use the same checks for each place: licence, surgeon, complications and follow up. Our guides to plastic surgery in Thailand vs Vietnam and plastic surgery in Korea vs Vietnam set those checks side by side.
A review may not mention the flight home, but the NHS does. It says to wait 5 to 7 days after liposuction or breast work, and 7 to 10 days when the surgery was on the face or was a tummy tuck. Its reason is that surgery and flying both raise clot risk. Ask your surgeon for your own date.
Most likely Australian health services, says the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons. Smartraveller says to make sure your travel insurance covers complications and medical evacuation. Check your policy before you book.
Not yet. Beauty Link is new, so this site shows no reviews, ratings or patient stories. It will not post any until real ones exist.
Sources: Smartraveller, NHS, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons