For many, the promise of affordable cosmetic surgery abroad can seem like a dream come true, offering procedures at a fraction of the cost found closer to home. Mexico, in particular, has become a popular destination for those seeking everything from dental work to extensive plastic surgery. However, recent accounts from women like Shannyn Palmer and Kimberly McCormick, both from Washington state, highlight the potentially devastating risks and unforeseen dangers that can accompany medical tourism, underscoring the critical need for thorough investigation and caution.
Shannyn Palmer, a 36-year-old mother from Vancouver, Washington, traveled to Tijuana last August, driven by a long-held desire for a “mommy makeover” after having her third child. The decision was spurred, in part, by a recent diagnosis of kidney cancer, which had since gone into remission. With her insurance coverage maxed out, the significant cost difference between the US and Mexico became a major motivating factor.
Palmer paid $12,500 for her procedure, which was intended to include a tummy tuck, abdominal muscle repair, a chest lift, and fat transfer to her hips. She told The Post she had researched the board-certified surgeon, Dr. Mario Gonzalez, for months in advance and felt confident heading into the surgery at The Beauty Hospital in Tijuana. The cost was considerably lower than the estimated $20,000 to $35,000 or more it would have potentially cost in Washington, where the average cost of a tummy tuck alone is $6,100 according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, not including associated fees.
But for Palmer, the savings came at an unimaginable price. She knew something was immediately wrong when she awoke from anesthesia. She felt her hands “basically burning,” she told The Post. The clinic’s staff allegedly told her that her hands had become cold during the procedure, prompting a nurse to use heated saline bags to warm them up. This action, Palmer claims, resulted in second- and third-degree burns on her hands.
The severe burns led to partial amputations – her right thumb and left middle finger were lost. Palmer described the shock, stating, “I never had any instinct that it would go wrong.” She emphasized her research into the surgeon, noting he “never had any bad results and had a good portfolio.” Despite this, she concluded, “This definitely just didn’t work out for me at all.”
The physical disfigurement has had a profound impact on Palmer’s life, affecting not only her work but also her personal passions. As a retention specialist for UPS, she missed about five months of work before returning recently. More heartbreakingly, as a mother of three and an artist who enjoys costume design and playing the piano, her ability to use her hands has been severely compromised. She can no longer play the piano or sew like she once did, relying on her hands for “literally everything.”
Her children, too, were deeply affected. Upon seeing her blackened fingers before the amputations, her sons asked if she was turning into a zombie. “My boys thought I was turning into a zombie when my fingers were turning black,” she recounted, adding that she had to explain to them, “No, I’m not a zombie.” The amputations were eventually performed in the United States after last-ditch hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Oregon failed to save the tissue.
Palmer has had to relearn basic tasks, such as doing housework and holding her young daughter. While she says she improves daily and her children now see her trying on prosthetics, thinking she is like a “superhero mom,” the reality of her injuries remains. Her children still ask if her fingers will return, a question she must answer by telling them, “No, that’s not how it works,” and explaining, “I’m permanently disfigured for the rest of my life.” She told ABC News, “I’m permanently disfigured for the rest of my life, and that’s something I did not expect to prepare for.”
Despite the devastating hand injuries, Palmer noted that the rest of the “mommy makeover” procedure itself went as planned. However, she emphasized the inherent risk involved in undergoing surgery of any kind, particularly when traveling abroad. “Had this not happened to my hands, I’d be very happy,” she said, but concluded, “But this is a life-altering experience. I still haven’t come to terms with how this will affect me for the rest of my life.”
Echoing Palmer’s sentiment about the seriousness of such procedures, she advised other Americans considering plastic surgery in Mexico to explore alternatives. “Going under the knife can be dangerous,” Palmer stated. She strongly recommended staying in the United States for cosmetic procedures if possible. Her reasoning is pragmatic: “If anything does go wrong, you’ll have access to your surgeon here,” and going “through the courts will be a lot easier” for any potential legal recourse. Palmer is now planning legal action against Dr. Gonzalez, his clinic, and the medical team, although attempts to reach the surgeon have reportedly been unsuccessful.
Palmer’s account is not an isolated incident, serving as a warning about the risks of medical tourism in Mexico. Another Washington woman, Kimberly McCormick, shared her own distressing experience in Tijuana, where she says she received unwanted procedures, faced unsanitary conditions, and was allegedly held and threatened until extra payment was made.
McCormick had previously undergone successful weight-loss surgery at the same facility in Mexico approximately six years prior. In late October, she returned for follow-up procedures intended to remove loose skin remaining after her weight loss, specifically a breast lift and skin removal from her arms, thighs, and stomach. However, she claims the outcome was dramatically different from her expectations and previous experience.
According to McCormick, she woke up from surgery to find she had received breast implants, something she insists she did not want. She recounted the experience, stating, “When I woke up, my chest was really sore, and I just started bawling.” When she alerted a medical coordinator about the unwanted implants, she says the coordinator suggested she had, at some point, asked the doctor for them. McCormick vehemently denied this, saying, “You told him you wanted a full C, and I said, ‘No, I would never say that, not ever.'”
Compounding her distress, McCormick claims she also received an unwanted “Brazilian Butt Lift.” Furthermore, the surgeon allegedly failed to perform the requested procedures to remove the loose skin under her arms and on her thighs. Beyond the incorrect surgeries, McCormick described concerning conditions at the facility, stating her room was “filthy.” She also reported having trouble breathing and developing a severe infection.
The situation escalated when McCormick’s daughter, Misty Ann, tried to intervene. Misty Ann recounted shouting in the hallway of the facility seeking answers about her mother’s condition. She claims she was physically pushed out of the facility by armed security. “Inside, I’m thinking, my mom’s up there, and I can’t leave her,” Misty Ann said. She described the force used, stating, “I get to the door, and he pushes me hard, and there is this cement ramp, and I just go flying.” Kimberly McCormick expressed her fear during this confrontation, saying, “I was just afraid I was going to die right there, and she wouldn’t have known.”
The mother and daughter further allege that they were strong-armed into paying an additional $2,500 beyond the agreed-upon pre-paid price, which staff claimed was due to a longer stay. Kimberly McCormick recounted being threatened with prison if they didn’t pay. “She said, ‘Well, you don’t have to pay, but we can put you in prison’,” McCormick said, emphasizing the dire situation, “I can’t go to prison with 500 stitches.” She described how her card was taken and run for the amount, stating, “They actually took my card from me, the big goon guy, and gave it to somebody else and said run it, $2,500, and then they threw it back on my bed.”
Before being allowed to leave the hospital, Kimberly McCormick says she was pressured into signing paperwork that suggested she had authorized the unwanted surgery. Once they left, she claims they were followed to a nearby hotel and were forced to pack quickly before being loaded into a van and transported across the border, being dropped off in San Diego. Upon arrival there, Kimberly immediately went to the emergency room, where she was treated for her infection with antibiotics.
Now back home in King County, Kimberly McCormick is receiving treatment from local doctors. She reflects on her experience, stating, “I think I’m lucky that I’m here. I’m lucky the damage isn’t any worse.” However, the implants she received are causing significant issues. “I’m looking at another surgery because the implants they put in are so big. I don’t have enough skin to enclose them. They are not healing.” Her daughter, Misty Ann, has had to help dress her mother’s wounds twice daily and has paid over $1,000 out of pocket for medical supplies. Misty Ann also shared advice based on their ordeal: “Please don’t go. The few thousand dollars you are going to save is not worth it.”
Kimberly McCormick, focusing on healing and the upcoming surgery to remove the implants, echoed her daughter’s warning. Despite how enticing the offers might seem, she advises against going abroad for medical procedures, stating emphatically, “I don’t care how enticing they make the offer, don’t do it,” because, in her experience, “the end result is not going to be something you are happy with.” Misty Ann has reportedly reached out to the FBI regarding their experience, who advise contacting banks for potential recourse and filing a complaint.
These personal accounts unfold against a backdrop of significant medical tourism activity in Mexico. Cosmetic surgery is extremely popular in the country. Data from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery indicates that some 1.2 million total surgical and non-surgical procedures were performed in Mexico in 2021. This total was surpassed only by three other countries: the United States (7,347,900), Brazil (2,723,640), and Japan (1,270,605), highlighting Mexico’s prominence as a destination.
In 2021, Botox, hyaluronic acid skin treatments, and hair removal were the most common procedures performed in Mexico. Worldwide, liposuction, breast augmentations, and eyelid surgeries led in popularity, with a notable 19.3% increase in total procedures compared to 2020, according to ISAPS data. The allure of lower prices is a significant driver; some clinics in Mexico City advertise tummy tucks for as low as $3,500, with some packages including hotel stays and assistants.
Health and Wellness Bazaar, a San Diego-based medical group, suggests that traveling to Mexico for a tummy tuck, with fees starting at $5,500, can save patients up to 60% compared to US costs. Its website notes a shift in medical tourism, where patients from countries like the United States, Canada, and Europe now find it convenient to travel abroad for services like a tummy tuck in Mexico.
However, experts caution that the potential savings must be weighed against significant risks. Dr. Oren Tepper, director of aesthetic surgery at Montefiore Albert Einstein College of Medicine, highlighted concerns regarding provider credentialing and facility safety abroad. “Here in the United States, individuals are credentialed to perform certain types of procedures that are usually based on their training. It’s based on their board certification and it’s based on whether their facility is deemed safe for general anesthesia,” he explained, adding, “That may not be the case abroad.”
Aaron Katz, a principal lecturer emeritus at the University of Washington School of Public Health, emphasized the importance of researching the quality of care, practitioner training, and regulatory structures in the destination country beforehand. He posed a critical question for those considering travel: “Are you going to get what you think you are going to get, or are you going to get something else, or is it not going to be as good as you hope?”
The recent tragic incident involving the kidnapping of four Americans who traveled to Mexico for a tummy tuck, resulting in two deaths, further underscores the range of dangers associated with medical tourism, extending beyond medical complications to broader safety and security concerns. One of the survivors, Latavia McGee, had reportedly gone there for a tummy tuck, highlighting how common such trips are.
The experiences of Shannyn Palmer and Kimberly McCormick serve as stark reminders that the pursuit of aesthetic enhancement at a lower cost in another country is not merely a financial transaction but a decision potentially fraught with peril. Their stories, filled with unexpected complications, permanent injuries, alleged threats, and the profound personal and familial impact, challenge the appealing narrative often presented by medical tourism promoters. The devastating outcomes underscore that the true cost extends far beyond the initial price tag, potentially including lifelong disfigurement, lost function, emotional trauma, and the complex, costly process of seeking resolution or corrective care back home. When considering such life-altering procedures, whether domestically or abroad, the fundamental questions of safety, accountability, and the true preparedness of the medical provider and facility should undoubtedly be paramount.
Related posts:
Mom who lost fingers in tummy tuck blunder warns of medical tourism days after Americans kidnapped in Mexico
Woman Says She ‘Disfigured’ After Receiving ‘Mommy Makeover’ in Mexico
Mommy makeover gone wrong: Woman warns of medical tourism dangers after ‘permanently disfigured’
