Proceed with Caution When Having Plastic Surgery Abroad

Proceed with Caution When Having Plastic Surgery Abroad

A 23­year­old United States woman has died after traveling to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic to have a liposuction procedure performed. This recent tragedy marks the fourth death in as many months at Dominican plastic surgery clinics.

Unfortunately, these four women are not alone. According to a 2014 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), there were 19 women throughout the United States who developed infections and complications after having cosmetic surgery performed in the Dominican Republic.

For uninformed victims, the allure of plastic surgery being performed abroad and recovering in the beauty of the Caribbean often masks the inherent risks involved when considering medical tourism. This is due to the fact that many clinics performing cosmetic procedures in countries such as Mexico, the Philippines and the Dominican Republic, do not adhere to the same strict safety standards as required in the U.S. This may lead to higher complication rates, less than desirable surgical outcomes, and sometimes death.

In addition, the distance between the destination surgeon’s office and the patient’s home country often means that patients do not receive the recommended follow­up appointments after their surgery, which are critical to ensure the patient’s body is healing appropriately and to help prevent future complications.

For patients who are suffering from complications from a surgery performed abroad, they are often left with no other option but to seek the care of another plastic surgeon costing additional money, time and frustration.

If you are considering plastic surgery, the first and most important decision is selecting a plastic surgeon you can trust with your safety, not where a surgeon is located.

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