Sure, no one wants to spend more of their hard-earned dough than they have to, but if saving a few bucks on a tummy tuck could potentially cost you your life, it’s SO not worth it.
Underground cosmetic surgery is, sadly, more available than you might think. In one very sad recent case, a 26-year-old woman lost her life due to complications from an illegally performed butt lift. Read more about her tragic story here, plus glean some need-to-know red flags to watch out for when choosing a plastic surgeon for your tummy tuck or other body contouring procedure.
Mother-Daughter Team Charged with Murder for Illegal Surgeries
After moving from South Africa to California, 26-year-old Karissa Rajpaul found an advertisement on Instagram for deeply discounted cosmetic surgery, performed by an unlicensed mother-daughter team out of their home.
During her butt lift procedure, Rajpaul was unknowingly injected with a type of silicone that is commonly found in hardware stores and is not intended for medical use. As a result, Rajpaul suffered acute cardiopulmonary dysfunction and died.
Play detective when searching for a plastic surgeon — don’t book anything until you’ve done some digging.
Alica Gomez, 23, and Libby Adame, 51, fled the scene after calling 911. Two years later, the pair were found and charged with Rajpaul’s murder.
Red Flags to Look for When Booking Your Tummy Tuck
While this might seem like a super rare case, the reality is that there are far more illegal cosmetic surgery providers out there than anyone would like to think. To protect yourself when looking for a tummy tuck plastic surgeon or even a provider for injectables or other nonsurgical treatments, be on the lookout for these red flags:
- No medical credentials. If a plastic surgeon doesn’t have any medical credentials and isn’t board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, move on and find another. Under no circumstances should you allow an unlicensed person to perform any type of procedure on you, surgical or otherwise.
- A price that’s too good to be true. Research the average cost of a tummy tuck in your area to get an idea of how much a reputable plastic surgeon will likely charge. Sure, reputable plastic surgery centers occasionally offer discounts or special offers, but the price should still be close to the average range for your location.
- Services that take place out of a private home. Whether you’re getting a mommy makeover or BOTOX®, your cosmetic procedure should take place in a clean, well-organized medical facility. Never accept cosmetic treatments out of someone’s private home, including “BOTOX parties.”
- A provider who is unwilling to show you packaging. If you’re getting BOTOX, fillers or other injectable treatments, it is perfectly acceptable to ask to see the packaging that the vial came in prior to your treatment to ensure the product is what the provider says it is.
The True Price of Botched Plastic Surgery
When planning plastic surgery, there is so much more at stake than money — working with an unlicensed individual could potentially cost you your life. It is not worth risking your life or permanent disfigurement in the name of saving money. Make sure you are working with a trusted, board-certified plastic surgeon.
If the cost of a tummy tuck is an obstacle for you, talk with your plastic surgeon about payment and financing options to help make your procedure as affordable as possible. Or set up a savings account and start saving for your procedure now so the cost won’t be an issue when you’re ready for your tummy tuck.
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