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HORRIFIC AND MORTIFYING Experience with Instagram Famous Surgeon Frank Lamadrid
On 01/26/2022 I underwent multiple cosmetic procedures in Colombia with Dr. Frank Lamadrid, a doctor I came across on social media, Instagram specifically. I had been following Dr. Frank Lamadrid for almost a year and closely monitoring images he posts of his procedures.
The procedures were the following.
1. Breast Reduction & Lift with an Implant
2. 360 Liposuction
3. Abdominal Etching
4. Brazilian Butt Lift (also known as BBL)
Note: I was charged extra for VAC (Vacuum Assisted Wound Closure) and extra to remove fat from my underarms and inner thighs.
Before the surgery, I had a consultation with the Doctor where we spoke about my aesthetic desires and goals given my specific body type. I showed him examples -images- of the breast shape and volume I desired as well as images of the body shape I desired.
This was a small waist, abdominal etching for the “ab look”, an S curve to get rid of my athletic “box” shape to be curvier from the front, and also as much volume as I could possibly get in my buttocks.
I expressed that while I naturally have a very athletic body shape since I generally eat well and exercise 4-5 times a week, I purposely gained an additional 15 pounds to have enough “fat” in my body for the shape/volume I wanted to get in my buttocks. He said that was fine. He then proceeded to mark me up and explain what he was going to do. He said the surgery would take about 3 maybe 4 hours, which at the moment I didn’t realize wasn’t very long as a normal breast procedure alone is about 4 hours, and a normal Liposuction and BBL procedure is about 4 hours as well. So, my procedure should have taken about 7-8 hours but was actually done in 3 hours.
Before the time of surgery, I saw the Doctor again where I expressed my desires and goals again given the number of patients I saw in his waiting room, which I thought was odd. I wanted to make sure he remembered what my specific goals were. Therefore we went over everything once again just to be sure. I wanted to make sure I would end up happy because this is something I have been saving up for a long time and wanted to be happy with the outcome. He assured me he would do his best and that everything would be fine.
A few days after surgery, I quickly realized that I may not have gotten the desires I expressed to the Doctor multiple times before surgery. This was because, although I was swollen, which is completely normal, my shape did not look that much different. I was also pretty upset that he disregarded the desires I expressed about my boobs but I let that go for the moment too.
I am Hispanic and cosmetic procedures are normal to have within my family and friends group. My mother, aunts, cousins, and friends have undergone these same types of procedures so I knew it was normal for me to be super swollen. But still, somehow I knew deep down, something was not right. So I decided to give it some more time but to also express this early on to my coordinator, physical therapist, and the manager of the office, Marie. They all said that it is normal to have these thoughts because of the swelling but that most likely when the swelling subsided with time, my new shape would become much more visible. I asked what would happen in the case that I was not happy for whatever reason and the Doctor, verbally said to me, that he has a satisfaction guarantee and that he would cover all expenses to return and do any “touch-ups” if that were the case. This made me feel better and I let the issue go for the time being since there was really nothing else I could do until more time passed.
7 days later, the VAC that was applied to my chest to help with the wound closure of my breasts was removed. I immediately noticed that my right areola was blue, basically black. I had NO IDEA why but I was VERY concerned. I asked the nurses, my massage therapist, and the Doctor multiple times why this happened and what it meant and what steps could be taken to fix the issue. The skin on my areola was black and felt like leather. Not normal. But they ALL, including the Doctor, said it was normal and that the VAC likely caused the issue but that once the tissue healed, it would be normal again. One day, I told them something had to be done because as days went by it was not getting any better. The Doctor then used a pair of scissors to scrape away what seemed to be “dead skin”. I was quite literally mortified. They drew my blood and injected the now, raw open skin on my areola, with my blood, which I know to be PRP. They did this two times but the raw skin did not get any better. The nipple on my left areola is practically at the top of my left areola, which looks unnatural and uneven. But my right areola was way more concerning.
My original stay was for 14 days but I decided to stay a few days longer given the circumstances of my right breast. Not only was my areola in bad shape but the overall breast itself was a different shape than the left breast. They said it was due to inflammation.
Not only was I having issues with my breast, but I was also experiencing extreme inflammation and fluid retention in my upper and lower back. It was extremely painful. So much so that I could not lay on my back at all and spent nights walking up and down the hotel hallway, not sleeping, until I could see the massage therapist and Doctor the next morning.
The massage therapist would see each patient for about 10-15 minutes for each Lymphatic Drainage Massage, which is critical for Liposuction aftercare.
I thought the massages weren’t thorough enough as the fluid in my back was not draining and the pain was getting worse each day. The massage therapist and office manager Marie proceeded to tell me that their massages are standard protocol and that “if the massages were more thorough, it would not be good for the body.” Which was a lie.
There was nothing I could do as they did not seem interested in helping. Only getting me in and out of the clinic as quickly as possible.
My mother told me to come home to find better help from a massage therapist elsewhere.
The Doctor’s aftercare instructions for the open wound on my areola were very minimal and later I found were not helping the open wound at all.
I came back from Colombia and had post-op massages scheduled. On the first day I saw the massage therapist, I explained to her everything that happened in detail and she felt extremely sorry for me as she realized my surgeon and clinic weren’t treating me as they should have been.
With over 20 years of experience, she explained to me in her professional opinion that if the massage therapist had done her job correctly, I would not be experiencing extreme fluid retention and that the likelihood of me having an infection was high. She said 5-10 minutes is not enough time to break down fluid after surgery. Which is why massages are generally about 40 minutes to an hour and very thorough. After just a few days, she was able to reduce the swelling and pain I had on my upper and lower back. I now have scar tissue on my lower back because the tissue was not massaged correctly post-op at the surgery clinic in Colombia.
She advised me on how to best take care of the open wound on my breast since the Doctor’s instructions were not helping at all.
She explained that the blue/back, leathery areola situation is called necrosis which is what happens when blood circulation is lost during surgery. She said the occurrence is extremely rare and that any well-trained surgeon has techniques to prevent this from happening to anyone. She said it was very unfortunate that this happened to me. She also explained that the Doctor and surgical team should have explained to me right after surgery that there was a complication during the surgery, which they did not even after I asked what happened multiple times. She also explained that given the complication during surgery on my right breast, the VAC should not have been applied as this would make it worse. If anything it should have been applied AFTER he scraped away/peeled off the dead tissue.
My therapist also said, very honestly, that she did not think my surgeon did the best he could do as she saw my before/after images and noticed very minimal difference as did I immediately after surgery, even with the swelling that was starting to go down given all the steps I was taking to get better as quickly as possible.
After showing her the images he posts of his patients, she suspected that very often surgeons take on many patients but do not actually perform all surgeries themselves.
We both thought there is no way possible that the same surgeon who posts images on his Instagram could be the same surgeon who performed surgery on me. I wasn’t big to begin with. Even with an additional 15 pounds to get volume in the buttocks, there was very little to no difference in my back, stomach, sides, waist, buttocks, and inner thighs, which they charged me extra for, even after swelling has subsided. I had just had plastic surgery and it’s like I can’t even tell if I had surgery, which has been devastating.
Looking back now, it makes sense why one of his assistants said he performs about 8-10 surgeries a day which is practically impossible because 1 surgery like mine should have taken 4-5 hours alone.
I followed up with a message to my coordinator and Doctor several times expressing my frustration about my right breast and areola as well as the insignificant difference in my body shape after undergoing surgery and going through the pain and recovery process.
The coordinator just said that she would pass the message along to the Doctor.
First the doctor just kept saying he performed an excellent surgery. Then he said to just give it more time. I told him I know several people who have had surgery and never have they looked almost exactly the same even with swelling after surgery and he said not to compare myself to others. His responses were very short. I expressed my concerns about my still inflamed right breast and open areola wound. He has been unresponsive.
He first said I could travel back to Colombia in about 10-15 days to get this fixed, which I later found out that reconstructive procedures cannot be done until 3-6 months after the original story to make sure the wound heals.
They then confirmed this and said sometime after May would be best to do the reconstructive procedure but I found it odd that the Doctor sent me a verbal What’s App message stating otherwise.
He also said now that if I wasn’t happy with my surgery I would have to come back and pay to have surgery with him again as in his opinion, he did a great job. I asked him if he remembered when he said to me while I was saying I wasn’t happy after surgery that “if with time I still wasn’t happy I could come back with all expenses covered to get re-touches done.” And he disregarded it by saying he did a great job, again.
I recently sent him images I sent to him before surgery in comparison to a video of my body to date, showing and demonstrating to him no difference in my inner thighs, and no difference in my stomach, waist, back, and buttocks.
I showed him images on his Instagram and asked why he shows such drastic changes in bodies online but my results were the opposite.
His response was that if someone is not taking care of themselves after surgery, they will quickly lose results, which is absurd because I’ve practically looked the same since the day after surgery only now with less swelling. Also very untrue because it would take months, way more time to gain weight after Liposuction. And not just time but also very bad habits in an extreme manner to lose results. Poor eating habits, no after-care massages, no after-care regimen, exercise, etc to lose surgery results.
I assured him my after-care routine has been extensive and as thorough as it could possibly be.
I sent pictures of my kitchen cabinet which has multiple supplements and vitamins specifically for recovery. I sent pictures of the premium protein powder I have since he advised we eat/drink as much protein as possible after surgery. I showed him an image of the types of foods I keep in my fridge, all healthy - almond milk, organic fresh-squeezed juices, fruits, and many pre-made healthy meals I order weekly from a fitness company. Arnica tea + Lymph drops which is good for inflammation. Boiled pineapple water, that has Bromelain which is also good for inflammation. A half-gallon of water a day. I assured him that since surgery I’ve had a total of 50 massages, with purchase receipts of everything, which is considered to be more than plenty. I explained that I wear multiple foam boards and ab boards 24/7 and get my compression garnets altered to help with compression. I also explained I walked 45 min to an hour daily for the first 2 months when I could not exercise and that now I am back to doing yoga and working out, without heavy weights though because my right breast is still inflamed and has an open wound. I am now 3 months post-op. Due to my routine, the swelling has gone down significantly. And I still look the same as before surgery. His response was basically, oh well, that is an issue with your body and not my surgery skills. And then proceeded to tell me goodbye and to have a good day.
My breasts are still an issue because the left has an abnormal areola/nipple and has a different shape than the right one and the right areola still has an open wound that has to be fixed. My intention was to go back to him to get it fixed, but given my entire experience, I’m honestly extremely traumatized and would rather go to someone else here in Florida to get it all fixed.
UPDATE -
Consulted with a surgeon here in Miami who informed the reason why my chest feels tight and uncomfortable is likely because the implants do not have sufficient space in the pocket they were put in. One breast is even “bottoming out”. He does not recommend a revision surgery till I am at least 12 - 18 months post-op as there is a high chance of complications if done any sooner. High chance of necrosis complications occurring again.
IN SUMMARY -
Negligence:
1. Surgery was scheduled for 2-3 hours, as written on paper by the doctor himself; surgery was rushed and done incorrectly
2. Lied/gave false information about a complication that occurred during surgery (necrosis)
3. Improper postop care; did not properly treat necrosis. Wound VAC was applied after surgery. Did not suggest a hyperbaric chamber till 2 weeks after surgery, which could have helped. Massages were rushed which cause infection and scar tissue in back
4. Lied/gave false information about being able to “make anchor scars shorter”
5. Lied/gave false information about revision surgery. Stated revision surgery could be done asap when multiple other doctors have said surgery should not be done until 12 - 18 months post-op or will have complications again
Personal Injury (Emotional Distress):
1. Time, money, energy spent. Gained weight before surgery. Have to gain weight again if I want to have a second surgery done. Have to spend more time, energy, and money
2. Huge toll on mental health and finances
3. Cannot have breast revision surgery until at least 12 - 18 months post-op with high complication probability. Have to be uncomfortable for long period of time. Chest is tight, loss of areola, sensation, and ability to produce milk in the right breast
Witnesses:
1. Dr. Frank Lamadrid's office staff
2. Contour Body Lounge
3. Squeeze by Breeze
4. Dr. Carlos Morales's office staff
5. (6) other patients
6. Dr. Jason Altman
The procedures were the following.
1. Breast Reduction & Lift with an Implant
2. 360 Liposuction
3. Abdominal Etching
4. Brazilian Butt Lift (also known as BBL)
Note: I was charged extra for VAC (Vacuum Assisted Wound Closure) and extra to remove fat from my underarms and inner thighs.
Before the surgery, I had a consultation with the Doctor where we spoke about my aesthetic desires and goals given my specific body type. I showed him examples -images- of the breast shape and volume I desired as well as images of the body shape I desired.
This was a small waist, abdominal etching for the “ab look”, an S curve to get rid of my athletic “box” shape to be curvier from the front, and also as much volume as I could possibly get in my buttocks.
I expressed that while I naturally have a very athletic body shape since I generally eat well and exercise 4-5 times a week, I purposely gained an additional 15 pounds to have enough “fat” in my body for the shape/volume I wanted to get in my buttocks. He said that was fine. He then proceeded to mark me up and explain what he was going to do. He said the surgery would take about 3 maybe 4 hours, which at the moment I didn’t realize wasn’t very long as a normal breast procedure alone is about 4 hours, and a normal Liposuction and BBL procedure is about 4 hours as well. So, my procedure should have taken about 7-8 hours but was actually done in 3 hours.
Before the time of surgery, I saw the Doctor again where I expressed my desires and goals again given the number of patients I saw in his waiting room, which I thought was odd. I wanted to make sure he remembered what my specific goals were. Therefore we went over everything once again just to be sure. I wanted to make sure I would end up happy because this is something I have been saving up for a long time and wanted to be happy with the outcome. He assured me he would do his best and that everything would be fine.
A few days after surgery, I quickly realized that I may not have gotten the desires I expressed to the Doctor multiple times before surgery. This was because, although I was swollen, which is completely normal, my shape did not look that much different. I was also pretty upset that he disregarded the desires I expressed about my boobs but I let that go for the moment too.
I am Hispanic and cosmetic procedures are normal to have within my family and friends group. My mother, aunts, cousins, and friends have undergone these same types of procedures so I knew it was normal for me to be super swollen. But still, somehow I knew deep down, something was not right. So I decided to give it some more time but to also express this early on to my coordinator, physical therapist, and the manager of the office, Marie. They all said that it is normal to have these thoughts because of the swelling but that most likely when the swelling subsided with time, my new shape would become much more visible. I asked what would happen in the case that I was not happy for whatever reason and the Doctor, verbally said to me, that he has a satisfaction guarantee and that he would cover all expenses to return and do any “touch-ups” if that were the case. This made me feel better and I let the issue go for the time being since there was really nothing else I could do until more time passed.
7 days later, the VAC that was applied to my chest to help with the wound closure of my breasts was removed. I immediately noticed that my right areola was blue, basically black. I had NO IDEA why but I was VERY concerned. I asked the nurses, my massage therapist, and the Doctor multiple times why this happened and what it meant and what steps could be taken to fix the issue. The skin on my areola was black and felt like leather. Not normal. But they ALL, including the Doctor, said it was normal and that the VAC likely caused the issue but that once the tissue healed, it would be normal again. One day, I told them something had to be done because as days went by it was not getting any better. The Doctor then used a pair of scissors to scrape away what seemed to be “dead skin”. I was quite literally mortified. They drew my blood and injected the now, raw open skin on my areola, with my blood, which I know to be PRP. They did this two times but the raw skin did not get any better. The nipple on my left areola is practically at the top of my left areola, which looks unnatural and uneven. But my right areola was way more concerning.
My original stay was for 14 days but I decided to stay a few days longer given the circumstances of my right breast. Not only was my areola in bad shape but the overall breast itself was a different shape than the left breast. They said it was due to inflammation.
Not only was I having issues with my breast, but I was also experiencing extreme inflammation and fluid retention in my upper and lower back. It was extremely painful. So much so that I could not lay on my back at all and spent nights walking up and down the hotel hallway, not sleeping, until I could see the massage therapist and Doctor the next morning.
The massage therapist would see each patient for about 10-15 minutes for each Lymphatic Drainage Massage, which is critical for Liposuction aftercare.
I thought the massages weren’t thorough enough as the fluid in my back was not draining and the pain was getting worse each day. The massage therapist and office manager Marie proceeded to tell me that their massages are standard protocol and that “if the massages were more thorough, it would not be good for the body.” Which was a lie.
There was nothing I could do as they did not seem interested in helping. Only getting me in and out of the clinic as quickly as possible.
My mother told me to come home to find better help from a massage therapist elsewhere.
The Doctor’s aftercare instructions for the open wound on my areola were very minimal and later I found were not helping the open wound at all.
I came back from Colombia and had post-op massages scheduled. On the first day I saw the massage therapist, I explained to her everything that happened in detail and she felt extremely sorry for me as she realized my surgeon and clinic weren’t treating me as they should have been.
With over 20 years of experience, she explained to me in her professional opinion that if the massage therapist had done her job correctly, I would not be experiencing extreme fluid retention and that the likelihood of me having an infection was high. She said 5-10 minutes is not enough time to break down fluid after surgery. Which is why massages are generally about 40 minutes to an hour and very thorough. After just a few days, she was able to reduce the swelling and pain I had on my upper and lower back. I now have scar tissue on my lower back because the tissue was not massaged correctly post-op at the surgery clinic in Colombia.
She advised me on how to best take care of the open wound on my breast since the Doctor’s instructions were not helping at all.
She explained that the blue/back, leathery areola situation is called necrosis which is what happens when blood circulation is lost during surgery. She said the occurrence is extremely rare and that any well-trained surgeon has techniques to prevent this from happening to anyone. She said it was very unfortunate that this happened to me. She also explained that the Doctor and surgical team should have explained to me right after surgery that there was a complication during the surgery, which they did not even after I asked what happened multiple times. She also explained that given the complication during surgery on my right breast, the VAC should not have been applied as this would make it worse. If anything it should have been applied AFTER he scraped away/peeled off the dead tissue.
My therapist also said, very honestly, that she did not think my surgeon did the best he could do as she saw my before/after images and noticed very minimal difference as did I immediately after surgery, even with the swelling that was starting to go down given all the steps I was taking to get better as quickly as possible.
After showing her the images he posts of his patients, she suspected that very often surgeons take on many patients but do not actually perform all surgeries themselves.
We both thought there is no way possible that the same surgeon who posts images on his Instagram could be the same surgeon who performed surgery on me. I wasn’t big to begin with. Even with an additional 15 pounds to get volume in the buttocks, there was very little to no difference in my back, stomach, sides, waist, buttocks, and inner thighs, which they charged me extra for, even after swelling has subsided. I had just had plastic surgery and it’s like I can’t even tell if I had surgery, which has been devastating.
Looking back now, it makes sense why one of his assistants said he performs about 8-10 surgeries a day which is practically impossible because 1 surgery like mine should have taken 4-5 hours alone.
I followed up with a message to my coordinator and Doctor several times expressing my frustration about my right breast and areola as well as the insignificant difference in my body shape after undergoing surgery and going through the pain and recovery process.
The coordinator just said that she would pass the message along to the Doctor.
First the doctor just kept saying he performed an excellent surgery. Then he said to just give it more time. I told him I know several people who have had surgery and never have they looked almost exactly the same even with swelling after surgery and he said not to compare myself to others. His responses were very short. I expressed my concerns about my still inflamed right breast and open areola wound. He has been unresponsive.
He first said I could travel back to Colombia in about 10-15 days to get this fixed, which I later found out that reconstructive procedures cannot be done until 3-6 months after the original story to make sure the wound heals.
They then confirmed this and said sometime after May would be best to do the reconstructive procedure but I found it odd that the Doctor sent me a verbal What’s App message stating otherwise.
He also said now that if I wasn’t happy with my surgery I would have to come back and pay to have surgery with him again as in his opinion, he did a great job. I asked him if he remembered when he said to me while I was saying I wasn’t happy after surgery that “if with time I still wasn’t happy I could come back with all expenses covered to get re-touches done.” And he disregarded it by saying he did a great job, again.
I recently sent him images I sent to him before surgery in comparison to a video of my body to date, showing and demonstrating to him no difference in my inner thighs, and no difference in my stomach, waist, back, and buttocks.
I showed him images on his Instagram and asked why he shows such drastic changes in bodies online but my results were the opposite.
His response was that if someone is not taking care of themselves after surgery, they will quickly lose results, which is absurd because I’ve practically looked the same since the day after surgery only now with less swelling. Also very untrue because it would take months, way more time to gain weight after Liposuction. And not just time but also very bad habits in an extreme manner to lose results. Poor eating habits, no after-care massages, no after-care regimen, exercise, etc to lose surgery results.
I assured him my after-care routine has been extensive and as thorough as it could possibly be.
I sent pictures of my kitchen cabinet which has multiple supplements and vitamins specifically for recovery. I sent pictures of the premium protein powder I have since he advised we eat/drink as much protein as possible after surgery. I showed him an image of the types of foods I keep in my fridge, all healthy - almond milk, organic fresh-squeezed juices, fruits, and many pre-made healthy meals I order weekly from a fitness company. Arnica tea + Lymph drops which is good for inflammation. Boiled pineapple water, that has Bromelain which is also good for inflammation. A half-gallon of water a day. I assured him that since surgery I’ve had a total of 50 massages, with purchase receipts of everything, which is considered to be more than plenty. I explained that I wear multiple foam boards and ab boards 24/7 and get my compression garnets altered to help with compression. I also explained I walked 45 min to an hour daily for the first 2 months when I could not exercise and that now I am back to doing yoga and working out, without heavy weights though because my right breast is still inflamed and has an open wound. I am now 3 months post-op. Due to my routine, the swelling has gone down significantly. And I still look the same as before surgery. His response was basically, oh well, that is an issue with your body and not my surgery skills. And then proceeded to tell me goodbye and to have a good day.
My breasts are still an issue because the left has an abnormal areola/nipple and has a different shape than the right one and the right areola still has an open wound that has to be fixed. My intention was to go back to him to get it fixed, but given my entire experience, I’m honestly extremely traumatized and would rather go to someone else here in Florida to get it all fixed.
UPDATE -
Consulted with a surgeon here in Miami who informed the reason why my chest feels tight and uncomfortable is likely because the implants do not have sufficient space in the pocket they were put in. One breast is even “bottoming out”. He does not recommend a revision surgery till I am at least 12 - 18 months post-op as there is a high chance of complications if done any sooner. High chance of necrosis complications occurring again.
IN SUMMARY -
Negligence:
1. Surgery was scheduled for 2-3 hours, as written on paper by the doctor himself; surgery was rushed and done incorrectly
2. Lied/gave false information about a complication that occurred during surgery (necrosis)
3. Improper postop care; did not properly treat necrosis. Wound VAC was applied after surgery. Did not suggest a hyperbaric chamber till 2 weeks after surgery, which could have helped. Massages were rushed which cause infection and scar tissue in back
4. Lied/gave false information about being able to “make anchor scars shorter”
5. Lied/gave false information about revision surgery. Stated revision surgery could be done asap when multiple other doctors have said surgery should not be done until 12 - 18 months post-op or will have complications again
Personal Injury (Emotional Distress):
1. Time, money, energy spent. Gained weight before surgery. Have to gain weight again if I want to have a second surgery done. Have to spend more time, energy, and money
2. Huge toll on mental health and finances
3. Cannot have breast revision surgery until at least 12 - 18 months post-op with high complication probability. Have to be uncomfortable for long period of time. Chest is tight, loss of areola, sensation, and ability to produce milk in the right breast
Witnesses:
1. Dr. Frank Lamadrid's office staff
2. Contour Body Lounge
3. Squeeze by Breeze
4. Dr. Carlos Morales's office staff
5. (6) other patients
6. Dr. Jason Altman
Provider Review
Dr. Frank Lamadrid