TT and Lipo in Colombia and Dom. Rep vs the USA

Hello and thank you for your question.   There are many things to consider when having surgery.  The top concern is safety.  There are strict standards in the US for safety that should never be compromised.  As surgeons in the United States, we have all taken care of patients with complications who went to foreign countries for cosmetic surgery and regretted doing so.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a surgeon who can provide you with reliable follow-up after surgery.  Cost savings is not the only aspect you should consider when choosing a surgeon.With that being said, there are plenty of great and innovative plastic surgeons in NYC you can see.  If you are an appropriate candidate, a tummy tuck can be done through a low and short incision, all completely below the bikini line.  Your muscles can also be plicated resulting in a flat abdomen.  Make sure you specifically look at before and after pictures of real patients who have had this surgery performed by your surgeon and evaluate their results.  The most important aspect is to find a surgeon you are comfortable with. I recommend that you seek consultation with a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate you in person.Best wishes and good luck.Richard G. Reish, M.D.Harvard-trained plastic surgeon

Having surgery at a reduced rate in a foreign country sounds
appealing, but there are many concerns that you should consider. Generally,
there is no preoperative direct discussion with the surgeon who is going to
perform the surgery in order to establish any reasonable doctor/patient
relationship. There are often language barriers that can interfere with your
care. Even if your surgeon speaks English, the ancillary personnel like the
nurses and the anesthesia provider who are involved in your care, may not. The
quality of hospitals outside of the U.S. varies tremendously. Some are
accredited and inspected, others are not. Even if the hospital has reasonable
facilities and the surgeon has training, which may not be up to the quality of
training of a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic
Surgery, the quality of the nurses and others involved in your care may be very
different from that in the United States. They may have little or no formal
medical education, training or credentialing.
There is usually little follow-up care. In addition, the general sanitary
conditions often increase the risk of infections, including some that are
generally rare in this country.
There are  also major potential problems that may occur with traveling
long distances just before and after surgery, like dehydration and fatigue, but
more importantly complications including clots in the legs called deep venous
thrombosis and clots to the lung which may be life threatening.
In most countries, if a problem develops, you will have little legal recourse
and no ability to file a complaint either against the hospital or about the
surgeon. If complications.,develop after you return home, it may be difficult
or impossible to obtain care from your local physicians. If problems do occur,
the cost of subsequent care can be far greater than the reduced cost of the
original surgery. While there are well-trained physicians in many other
countries, I would suggest that you travel for pleasure or business and have
your surgery closer to home.
Robert Singer, MD FACS
La Jolla, California