Dominican Republic Sees Fourth Cosmetic Surgery Death This Year After U.S. Woman’s Liposuction
A plastic surgery clinic in the Dominican Republic has been shut down by authorities after a U.S. woman died there while undergoing a liposuction procedure.
The 23-year-old woman, whose identity was not given, had traveled to the country just two days before her April 23 procedure; however, she had not disclosed where she was from in the U.S.
This is the third time that the clinic, run by Dr. Edgar Contreras, has been investigated.
This is also the fourth time a woman has died, and the second American death, at a plastic surgery clinic in the Dominican Republic this year alone. The country is a popular destination for “medical tourism” so patients can stay at a resort before or after their surgery.
The other American was a 35-year-old from Hawaii who was also getting a liposuction procedure. Another, a 24-year-old, had an embolism in February after undergoing surgery to have butt implants.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 19 women in five states last year developed serious mycobacterial infections after having cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic, for procedures including liposuction, tummy tucks and breast implants.
Getting cosmetic surgery is something that many women will hide, especially if they feel anxiety about aging.
For celebrities, whether their looks have been altered through surgery or not can be a source of gossip. Rapper Lil’ Kim’s recent appearance on Dancing with the Stars sparked comments online about whether or not she had had some work done.
It’s understandable why people would think so, given how her appearance has changed through the years. There’s also the fact that women tend to make up about 90.6% of cosmetic procedure patients, or about 10.3 million of such treatments in 2013.
The dangers of cosmetic surgery, like the one in the Dominican Republic, could also explain why more women are looking to non-surgical treatments like Botox or no needle wrinkle reduction and cellulite-busting methods like photofacials and laser liposuction.
