Plastic Surgery in the DR- eating my words

SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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"I am having a tummy tuck in 2012 here in NC. I would not dare have plastic surgery in a foreign country. I have assisted in Plastic surgery cases and that is how I picked my doc, because even in the US there are docs that have no clue. Please be careful, also for example, someone can tell you "I recommend Dr. So&So, he did my tummy tuck" that is no help to you if you are getting rhinoplasty. I know docs here in my OR that I would let do my breasts but I wouldn't go to them for a tummy tuck to save my life!! A lot of plastic surgeons perform different surgeries but are not good at all of them."

SHALENA


The above is a quote of mine from a thread from earlier this year. I am about to eat my words and am sure like when an animal dies in the jungle….the crows will come out to peck at me soon.

For one, I will write start this thread for the benefit of any woman planning to get Plastic Surgery in the DR and although most of you know me (or think you do), I will write it as if no one does as the women that will find this thread will be the ones who GOOGLE “Plastic Surgery Dominican Republic”

So here goes…

I have been on this site for 4 years now and if anyone can say anything about me its that I give it straight no chaser. I made the decision to have a tummy tuck earlier this year, and went to several consults here in NC. I was given prices ranging from $7,000-$8,200.
Now, I know what to ask as I work in a hospital and I work in the Main OR full-time (as well as Labor&Delivery part-time) and I have seen several tummy tucks. I have also seen several disasters who have received Plastic Surgery in the DR come through also, one which we had to send to UNC Burn Center because she was burned so badly.

I mentioned to my Dominican “sister” whose husband and her helped me immensely when I first moved to the DR, that I was thinking about getting a tummy tuck and she asked me why I didn’t go there. I gave her the whole speel regarding my thoughts on Plastic Surgery in the DR and referred her to YouTube! She, on the other hand, gave me a mouthful as she works for ProMedica, she is a SalesRep for the MemoryGel breast implants. She told me “Since the day you stepped foot in the DR, have I ever turned you wrong?” and she hasn’t so I promised her that I would speak to the Surgeons.

I had consults with 2 different Plastic Surgeons and now I have made my decision. I will not speak or mention the name of the one that I did not choose as, well, I didn’t choose him so he is null and void. I must say that they were neck in neck and the only reason that I picked one over the other was the hospital. The first that I had a consult with does his Surgery in La Clinica Las Corominas in Santiago, the second in HOMS in Santiago. They both told me the price would be $4,500. They both are well recommended by my sister who has worked with both and just came back from a Plastic Surgery conference where they were both in attendance. So after seeing them, and although the second had a little less bedside manner, I chose the second due to the fact that he performs his surgery in HOMS, which is a hospital that I am familiar and comfortable with. The following is a few sentences on HOMS from Wikipedia:
“The Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago (HOMS) is the largest hospital in the Dominican Republic and one of the most modern hospitals in Latin America and the Caribbean, with 300 doctor’s offices, 400 beds, 16 operating rooms, a hotel, and other specialized units.
HOMS not only takes care of the Dominicans' health but also allows foreigners to have the opportunity to receive high quality health care at low prices in what is called "health tourism". HOMS has an investment of $75.0 million US dollars. HOMS will be looking for international hospital accreditation”


The name of the surgeon that I have chosen is Dr. Rodrigo Escobar-Jaramillo. Please do your background checking as I am only commenting on MY experience alone. You need to always, first and foremost, check with the Dominican Society of Plastic Surgeons for a surgeons credentials, education, etc. Their number is 809-688-8451 and they also have a website. There are a lot of horrible so-called Plastic surgeons in the DR, do your homework!

Anyway, Dr. Escobar is very nice and sweet, he bent over backwards to see me as he had just gotten back in the country (he also does surgery here in the US) and my schedule was hectic. He would not be in the office when I needed the appointment but made pecial arrangements for me.
I went to his office and his secretary Heydi (spelling?) was very nice. He was just leaving surgery and would be going into another case soon so he was to see me in between cases. I understood this completely as I work in the OR. Heydi escorted me to the Hospital part of HOMS and took me to the recovery room. She weighed me and got demographic information and there we waited for the Doctor. Doctor Escobar showed up in his OR clothes, and introduced himself and seemed very nice, although rushed.

Dr. Escobar took my medical and surgical history and asked me what surgery I wanted to have done. I told him Abdominoplasty and he wrote that down. We were in the recovery room in a recovery space so he pulled the curtain and had me take my shirt off and pull down my pants. He looked from the front, from the back, and from the side. He pinched up fat in different areas saying “um-hm” and writing things down. He then had me lie down on the stretcher and did it all over again, pinching up fat in different areas and saying “um-hm” and writing things down.

I did ask him about my breasts, as of course my sister had to push her product :cheeky: and he looked at them and told me that they looked fine but if I wanted a bit fuller, he could do that. I asked did he think that I needed it and he said no, that my breasts looked fine and of course that made me smile very widely as a Plastic Surgeon telling you that your breasts are “fine” is like Denzel Washington telling you that you are the finest sista he’s ever seen! Also, this made me trust him more as the majority of Dominican doctors will try to get you to do as much stuff as possible, more profit for them.

Anyway, he then went over in detail what he would do, where he would also do lipo. He also went over the stay in the hospital, recovery, etc. and then answered my questions. I have very nice hips and an a$$ that makes it hell finding the perfect pair of jeans so he showed me what shape I would have afterwards….hourglass. Perfect! The price is $4,500 and this includes EVERYTHING except for the extra stuff that you have to do before the surgery such as labs, he sends you to the cardiologist, and to a regular doctor to make sure that you are fit for surgery. He told me that I needed to start taking Iron pills 3 months before surgery but I already do that so no problem. He stated that some women have to lose weight before the surgery but I am not in that crowd. He stated that I will have a drain and need to wear an abdominal binder for some time but that the recovery is pretty good.

Other than being a bit rushed, Dr. Escobar was very professional. His office looks like a spa and there are several creams, lotions, and such for sale there. I felt good leaving after talking to him, especially walking through the rest of HOMS in order to leave, that place is top notch. Heydi walked me all the way outside to the entrance where they called for me a taxi, when the taxi pulled around, we kissed each other on the cheek Dominican style and she says to me “Te vas a quedar mu?eca, Mi Amor!”
Hmmmmm….mu?eca…..I can deal with that.

Stay tuned…my surgery is for September 2012. I will keep you posted step by step, pics and all.
Thanks

SHALENA
 
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suarezn

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Hmmm...so the difference in price is only a couple of thousand USD? Good luck with the surgery, but personally I don't think a couple of thousand USD is worth the risk. Remember if, god forbid, something goes wrong in The DR you have no recourse. I always thought the difference in price was substantial and that's why people would go and get it done down there.
 

SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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Hmmm...so the difference in price is only a couple of thousand USD? Good luck with the surgery, but personally I don't think a couple of thousand USD is worth the risk. Remember if, god forbid, something goes wrong in The DR you have no recourse. I always thought the difference in price was substantial and that's why people would go and get it done down there.

The price is much less in the Capital, on average $3200-$3500.
It's not about the price...its about desired results. I've seen good TTs here (USA) but I have to admit, the DR has it cornered on sculpturing.

SHALENA
 

JessicaRabbit

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I went to Ukraine for my surgery and i got the result i wanted. Very happy with my boob job that came out just 4000$ total and result looks fab :) My surgery was 5th of november.
 

SKing

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I will do pics but I will do the befores a little closer to surgery time.

Any volunteers to be my personal nurse? Males only please.
LOL just kidding

Actually, I will be very open through this whole thing with pics and all for the women who stumble upon this site for Plastic Surgery info

SHALENA
 

Drro

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Mar 22, 2006
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Shalena,

Thanks for all the details and your due diligence. i look forward to being taken on the journey with you - something I'm also/always interested in.

Good luck. Take lots of vitamin C two weeks prior as well to help in healing.

Regards
Ro
 

J D Sauser

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Just some generic thoughts:

There are good, famed and flimsy plastic surgeons all over the plant, and that includes the US and the DR too.
A plastic surgeon is an MD, a surgeon and then a plastic surgeon, and finally an ARTIST or NOT.
The artist thing is something that probably cannot be taught at any school. One can be a very good and serious plastic surgeon but still not an artist.
There are a hand full of plastic surgeons in the DR which are truly known across borders for being artists... and not just because THEY say so. Just a hand full. And they are NOT cheap! Yet their fees may be similar to the ones of a GOOD plastic surgeon anywhere in a first world situation because their overhead is much, MUCH less. And they also have MUCH less LEGAL costs... which should remind you that your LEGAL recourse here, especially if you're NOT a Dominican citizen or LEGAL RESIDENT can be virtually NIL!

... J-D.
 

Africaida

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Jun 19, 2009
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The price is much less in the Capital, on average $3200-$3500.
It's not about the price...its about desired results. I've seen good TTs here (USA) but I have to admit, the DR has it cornered on sculpturing.

SHALENA

I just to think just like you Shalena, until I saw some results of plastic surgery in DR (and latin America in general). I think some Latin American surgeons have great great skills (more so than the one I have seen in the US).
I have been looking into the DR, but I think Colombia has a higher level of care (from what I heard)
Again, at the end of the day, I am not sure I could go through it, I am too scared. Being a single mom, with 2 littles ones :( (I have never had a surgery before)


I know the odd of something bad happening are very low, but sh*t happens. There is a patient who had flown to the DR who past away this month, this is scary.

OTRA MUERTE POR CIRUGIA EST?TICA - YouTube
 

SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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I just to think just like you Shalena, until I saw some results of plastic surgery in DR (and latin America in general). I think some Latin American surgeons have great great skills (more so than the one I have seen in the US).
I have been looking into the DR, but I think Colombia has a higher level of care (from what I heard)
Again, at the end of the day, I am not sure I could go through it, I am too scared. Being a single mom, with 2 littles ones :( (I have never had a surgery before)


I know the odd of something bad happening are very low, but sh*t happens. There is a patient who had flown to the DR who past away this month, this is scary.

OTRA MUERTE POR CIRUGIA EST?TICA - YouTube

Sometimes you gotta let go, and let God....

SHALENA
 

Shiraz72

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Feb 10, 2010
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I've heard that Santiago has better doctors than they do it Santo Domingo from my man as well. This is surprising considering that you'd thing there'd be more resources in the capital. I'm considering having my breasts done because I've lost a signifigant amount of weight in the past 1.5 years... I went from a size 24 to 14 (which made my DDD's a D). I've been told my tummy tuck would be covered here in Canada because I have a problematic abdominal hernia after having twins and they've done 3 corrective surgeries so far and it keeps coming back. They want to do a tummy tuck and put a supportive mesh in place. I'm putting this off because it's going to require a lot of time off work and I love to travel. I'm coming down in January. Maybe I'll do some shopping around. Anyone have their breasts done in Santiago and could recommend a good source? Shelena I'm curious about the breast implants you were talking about. Are they silicone based?
 

jrhartley

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Its ok not to be perfect ! I would just be happy with everything working properly without messing with it,
 

JessicaRabbit

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Sep 21, 2009
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Yes memory gel is silicone that doesnt leak. That is new generation of silicone implants, i got them for myself but i got Polytech Silimed, not Mentor. I've heard that Nelson Rubio is good for breasts in Santiago. But he quoted me 6000$ with Mentors and breast lift (that i did not need actually). If you went from DDD to D then obviously you will need a lift if you are not going to go back to DDD (that will mean you will need LARGE implant and not many surgeons are keen to put more then 400cc).
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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Shiraz72 - The sooner you get your hernia done with the mesh the easier it will be. The larger the Hernia the more complications.
 

SKing

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Nov 22, 2007
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I've heard that Santiago has better doctors than they do it Santo Domingo from my man as well. This is surprising considering that you'd thing there'd be more resources in the capital. I'm considering having my breasts done because I've lost a signifigant amount of weight in the past 1.5 years... I went from a size 24 to 14 (which made my DDD's a D). I've been told my tummy tuck would be covered here in Canada because I have a problematic abdominal hernia after having twins and they've done 3 corrective surgeries so far and it keeps coming back. They want to do a tummy tuck and put a supportive mesh in place. I'm putting this off because it's going to require a lot of time off work and I love to travel. I'm coming down in January. Maybe I'll do some shopping around. Anyone have their breasts done in Santiago and could recommend a good source? Shelena I'm curious about the breast implants you were talking about. Are they silicone based?

See Jessica's post, also that's why Santiago is a little more expensive. The Capital is just like a factory IMO

Its ok not to be perfect ! I would just be happy with everything working properly without messing with it,

Oh, I'm sorry....how old are the kids you birthed that took every bit of elasticity and strength from your breasts and stomach? Really, most women do this for themselves. I am smiling 10x more since I got my veneers, when I get my TT you won't be able to stand me!
Think about it like this, its something that would make the woman happy...don't you wanna see me happy? LOL
Shiraz72 - The sooner you get your hernia done with the mesh the easier it will be. The larger the Hernia the more complications.

This is very true