patients have become infected in the United States, too. “We are definitely seeing more of these postoperative infections, particularly ones that are related to cosmetic surgery,” Daley said.
The CDC report warns about the risks of medical tourism, a term that describes leaving the United States for medical procedures to save money. According to the report, many of the women – most of whom were born in the Dominican Republic – said they went to the country for plastic surgery to save money.
People who have undergone plastic surgery in the Dominican Republic should talk to their doctor about getting tested, Daley suggested. And, people who plan to go there for a procedure should ask the clinic whether they’ve had infections, he added.
“I would never go to one of those places,” he said. “I know too many stories about what’s happened to people. It has ruined people’s lives.”
The fact is you’re taking a chance on your life when you consider altering your body. Plastic surgery is a real medical procedure that incorporates a lot of processes that cannot be overlooked or ignored. You can’t cut corners or costs for the sake of your life. If you feel like plastic surgery is for you, research and visit all facilities prior to your actual surgery. Taking precautions like these could be a matter of life or death.
SOURCES:
Douglas Esposito, M.D., MPH, medical officer and epidemiologist, Travelers’ Health Branch, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; Charles Daley, M.D., chief, division of mycobacterial and respiratory infections, National Jewish Health, Denver; July 13, 2016, Emerging Infectious Diseases, online