Traveling from CA to Miami for a mommy makeover? Is It safe?

Hi citavis,
Cost isn't everything. Safety is more important. I don't know the specific doctors you are working with, and thus can't make a broad statement comparing Miami and California surgeons.
I would suggest doing your homework prior to medical tourism--understanding the surgeon who will be doing your procedure, and how they will evaluate you (eg are you flying down for a preop consultation? Or just showing up to meet your surgeon on the day of surgery?). As importantly, you should inquire about the postop followup plan and how problems will be managed--if you have complications from your Miami surgery but are home in California, you won't have any resources to receive care.
Two months ago, I got a call from my local ER in Spokane, Washington for a patient who flew to Miami for surgery and returned home at one week--and was having problems at two weeks post-op. It creates a challenging problem for patients and surgeons alike, when you are not physically co-located for followup visits and post-operative management.
Hope this helps.
Best,Christopher Pannucci MDBoard Certified Plastic SurgeonPlastic Surgery NorthwestSpokane, Washington

Cosmetic surgery tourism refers to the popular process of having surgery in a different location from that in which the patient lives. The term has come to carry with it the pejorative connotation that the motivation is usually due to a financial savings on the procedures performed. Make sure the procedures of interest to you are performed by board certified plastic surgeons. An MD degree allows any medical doctor to perform PS procedures even they he/she has not been educated/trained/certified to perform them. Some of these individuals may be emergency room physicians, family practice doctors, or OB-GYNs. The procedures may be performed in operating rooms and surgery centers with staff that do not have to pass the very stringent certification process for ambulatory surgery centers. Be sure to consider travel time and cost should you need to return from west to east coast for follow-ups or unforeseen complications.

Dear citavis,
finding the right Dr. is extremely challenging especially with the number of online platforms and resources available. There a lot of great Dr's available. Make sure he/she is a board-certified plastic surgeon. Definitely check to make sure your choice specializes in the procedure you want and spend the time to read through patient testimonials. There is a number of different sites where you can check for reviews (Realself, yelp, google, etc.).You can always pick up the phone and call around also, find an office you feel comfortable with and set up a few consultations.
Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

I completely understand your initial point of view with regard to mommy makeover surgery and cost constraints are certainly an issue. However, please proceed with caution because perceived “bargains“ in cosmetic surgery can end up in disaster. While there are many wonderful, well qualified plastic surgeons in Miami, unfortunately there are some unscrupulous doctors calling themselves “cosmetic surgeons “offering cheap surgery with often times dire consequences.
Please do your homework regarding your surgeon and be certain that he or she is board-certified by the American Board of plastic surgery. You can verify your surgeon’s credentials on the website of the American Board of Medical Specialties or the American Society of Plastic Surgeons or the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
Another option is stay close to home and seek out consultation at a university plastic surgery residency program. They offer reasonable rates for aesthetic surgery performed by residents closely monitored and assisted by experienced board-certified plastic surgeons.
Please balance the risks and your personal safety against the perceived advantage of cheaper cosmetic surgery, because in the long run, it can cost you a lot more, both monetarily and in personal harm. Good Luck!

Selecting a surgeon is first of the important decisions you make before your procedure. You want to go on a few consultations before making your decision. Be sure that the surgeons are board certified and that the procedure will be performed in an accredited facility. Review credentials of your surgeon as well as before after photos. Trust your gut. Select the surgeon with whom you feel the most comfortable and confident, not simply the one who says what you want to hear. If you will be traveling for your procedure make sure that you discuss follow up appointments and how long you will need to stay in the area after your procedure. The ASPS website is a good place to begin when selecting those you wish to meet with for a consultation.

I do not recommend that anybody travel for elective surgical procedures. The bigger the procedure and the longer distance traveled the worse the decision becomes.

Patients do not seem to appreciate the importance of having proper in person consultations, the number of patients who have real concerns or need revisions after surgery or that complications actually do happen.

A tummy tuck is a highly invasive operation that requires ongoing postoperative management sometimes for several months.

It’s a free world and people make their own decisions.
One of my professors was found of saying don’t look for bargains when it comes to parachutes or cosmetic surgery.

Another expression that comes to mind is you get what you pay for.

Geographic location has nothing to do with medical talent.

All major communities have a range of talent though rural communities may have less positions to choose from.

All plastic surgeons have experience of operating and patience with different ethnic backgrounds including various levels of skin color and pigmentation.

The representation of before and after pictures on a plastic surgeons website it’s probably mostly a reflection of the ethnicity in their community who is seek the procedures.

Personally I would never opt to have cosmetic surgery without having had an in person consultation well in advance of making the decision.

Variation in skill and experience varies substantially among different providers.

Price is certainly no guarantee of quality work but it is unlikely that you’ll find the most talented providers offering discount surgery.

A procedure like a tummy tuck is permanent and irreversible.

If not done to your liking it is unlikely it will be able to be corrected or made better through revision surgery.

Do it once, do it right.

Choose the right plastic surgeon and everything falls into place.

Choose a provider based on having multiple in person consultations. During consultations ask providers to show their entire collection up before and after pictures. Pay close attention to who gets the most natural looking belly buttons with no sets cars that follow anatomic contour lines naturally.

An experienced provider should have no difficulty showing you 50 or more sets of before and after pictures for the procedure you’re interested in. Highly experienced providers will have several hundred or possibly thousands of before and after pictures for the procedure of interest and anatomic area.

Having providers show a handful of results representing the best outcomes of their career is not a representation of average results. Patients should insist on seeing as many before and after pictures from each provider as possible.

I also recommend reading all reviews on all major physician review websites avoiding providers for the significant number of justified negative reviews.

The absence of justified negative reviews is more important and more telling than an abundance of positive reviews.

Good luck with your decision making.

Best,

Mats Hagstrom MD

Hi and welcome to our forum!As a plastic surgeon in Florida, I will provide the facts...You will be uncomfortable for the first week to ten days following your procedure. This will affect your ability to travel. Of more significance, there is an increased risk of thrombophlebitis and pulmonary embolism when flying immediately after the procedure. This is true even with the use of a compression garment. This risk diminishes within 2-4 weeks after which time it is safe to fly. Consider your time here a vacation....but avoid postoperative sun exposure to the surgical areas!! ... And yes, we are...Best wishes...