How come the work performed in the Dominican Republic is cheaper and better than in the states?

I agree with what was said below.  I have seen suboptimal care from most of my patients who come to me for revision surgery or complications that had their primary surgery in other countries.  That is not to say that some of the physicians elsewhere are great, but in general, other countries do not have the same standards with regards to surgical procedures, post operative care, staffing, supplies ect that we have in the US.  That is why our overhead costs are much higher here. Plus our insurance is more costly, given the number of lawsuits that are initiated each day against physicians in the US.  I think this question is overly generalized.  In general -- you pay for what you get! I provide beyond excellent care for my patients that is individualized, personal, and long term, that is why our costs are higher.  If you are unhappy with your results, discuss this with your physician.  Best, Dr. Emer.

   There are definitely plastic surgeons in the US who produce spectacular work on a regular basis.  Safety is another concern.   No surgery is 100% free of complications for all patients but the better surgeons minimize these elements.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

Hello, i am a Certificated Plastic Surgeon from Dominican Republic and here we have federal regulations and laws to practice the plastic surgery, and in my personal practice almost 80 percent of my patients come from outside of my country, thats why is very important to know the plastic surgeon, see his skills and experience, confirm that he is certificated and see before and after pictures to know his job, and have the right idea of the results that we can reach.Sincerely yoursDr. Eugenio Lapaix Vargas

There is no doubt that many surgeons performing cosmetic surgery outside the US are well-trained and obtain excellent results.  One of the great things about the U.S., though, is that there is a fairly high degree of regulation compared to many/most other countries.  Who provides anesthesia and what level of training they have had, for instance, is pretty significant.  How the instruments are sterilized, where implants come from and how they are stored and handled, what medications are used and how they were manufactured and stored...there are just so, so many things that go into a safe, quality outcome.  When you go abroad, you lose all of the protections afforded to you as a patient in the U.S.  In this country the federal government oversees many aspects of this, while states place additional protections for their citizens.  Going abroad for surgery is not necessarily a bad thing.  Just understand that you do so at your own risk because you lose so much oversight regarding all of these issues.

Who says that surgery in the Dominican Republic is better than in the US?   Frankly, if you saw the complications that have walked into the emergency room, you wouldn't make such a statement!  Their costs are much lower---no $100,000/year malpractice premiums, cheap labor, rent, etc. They may purchase implants on the gray market and who knows who is giving anesthesia?  Plenty of horror stories from ecotourism and the lack of accountability.  If there is a complication, who is going to assume care of the patient?  If you are unhappy with your result, then discuss with your plastic surgeon who, hopefully, was board certified.  

Hello, your question is a very good one, I´ll try to answer it being impartial; as a certified Dominican Republic Plastic Surgeon that have completed my residency program in Brazil, and have done rotations in Colombia and other countries I will tell you a famous dominican adagio, it says '' Beans can get cooked anywhere'', by this you may understand that you can find well formed Plastic surgeons all around the world or have eventualities after your surgery even in your country, something important is that caribbean and latinas like and ask for a more voluptuous body than white caucasians and asians, so that is generally the goal for them and their surgeons after an esthetic surgery procedure. I always recommend you to look for a Certified Plastic surgeon for doing your procedures, it can be on your country or if you prefer to do it outside it can be your choice.Best of luck, Dr Kemil Issa