Cost Of Tummy Tuck In Dominican Republic

We all want to look our best, but it can be challenging to find the time and money for cosmetic procedures. Tummy tucks, however, are a popular option that many people choose because they lead to long-lasting results. If you’re thinking about having a tummy tuck in the Dominican Republic, here’s what you need to know:

In this guide, we find out the Cost Of Tummy Tuck In Dominican Republic, dominican republic tummy tuck death, how much does it cost to get your body done in dominican republic, and top 10 plastic surgeons in dominican republic.

Cost Of Tummy Tuck In Dominican Republic

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the average cost of a tummy tuck in the United States was $5,798 in 2017. However, tummy tucks in the Dominican Republic can cost between $3,000 and $10,000. Part of the reason for this wide price range is that some doctors charge based on the extent of surgery needed.

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the average cost of a tummy tuck in the United States was $5,798 in 2017. However, tummy tucks in the Dominican Republic can cost between $3,000 and $10,000. Part of the reason for this wide price range is that some doctors charge based on the extent of surgery needed.

In addition to location and surgeon fee rates, there are other factors that can affect how much you pay for your procedure:

  • The type of anesthesia used – local or sedation
  • Whether liposuction is also performed during your procedure
For instance, if you want a mini or partial abdominoplasty, it might only cost between $3,000 and $4,000. A full abdominoplasty will cost more–usually between $5,000 and $8,000. You’ll likely spend more if you opt for a mini-tuck with liposuction or you want to add muscle tightening or hernia repair to your tummy tuck procedure.

Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is an operation to remove excess skin and fat from the abdominal area. The surgeon will then tighten your muscles so they lie flat against the underlying tissue.

If you’re considering getting a tummy tuck and are interested in how much it costs in Dominican Republic, keep reading to find out more about this procedure’s cost, what you should expect before and after surgery, and how long recovery takes.

The cost of your tummy tuck depends on the extent of the surgery.

You should also ask about the costs of your tummy tuck. In the United States, a tummy tuck costs $5,798 and is considered to be a cosmetic procedure. However, in the Dominican Republic (DR), it’s classified as a reconstructive surgical procedure because there are health benefits like pain relief and recovery time.

The cost of your tummy tuck will depend on what kind of technique is used by your surgeon and how extensive it will be. The average cost for an abdominoplasty ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 depending on where you get it done: DR or another country such as Mexico or Thailand.

dominican republic tummy tuck death

New Yorkers flock to the Dominican Republic for cheaper plastic surgery procedures, but not all of them return home.

Sharilene Cedeño used to joke with her sister Kendra that she was going to be 23 forever.

Cedeño, daughter of Dominican immigrants, was obsessed with staying young – and by extension, plastic surgery. Coworkers at the Manhattan clinic where she was a nurse’s assistant would catch her looking at dramatic before and after photos on surgeons’ social media pages.

One day she saw a friend’s Instagram post after a procedure by surgeon Edgar Contreras, who’s based in the Dominican Republic. That was it. After years of feeling unattractive compared to women who had “gotten done”, Cedeño was ready. Her friend Tiffany Concha, from the Bronx, would join her for her own procedure. “We’re going to become Barbies,” Cedeño told her.

They flew to the Dominican Republic for liposculpture – a procedure during which excess fat removed from the stomach or back is injected into the buttocks.

At 6am on 23 April 2015, the women drove to the Clínica Plástica Contreras (Contreras Plastic clinic), a modern office in Arroyo Hondo, a wealthy neighborhood in the country’s capital, Santo Domingo. Cedeño went into the operating room at noon. Hours later, Concha, lined with purple surgical marker under her medical gown, had not heard anything about Cedeño’s surgery.

At about 4pm Dominican time, Kendra answered a WhatsApp video call at her home in Harlem from Concha, whose face was streaked with tears.

“Are you calling me to say that my sister is dead?” Kendra asked. “You’re not calling me to tell me that.”

But that was exactly what Concha had called to say: Cedeño died of an embolism during her procedure.

Cedeño is one of 12 known cases of New Yorkers who have died from plastic surgery procedures in the Dominican Republic in the last six years. More than 700,000 Dominicans live in New York, creating a natural pipeline between the two places. It runs even more smoothly for those seeking plastic surgery on the Caribbean island, where procedures are far cheaper: the average cost of liposuction in the US is $5,500, compared to $3,500 in the Dominican Republic.

In 2018, more than 23,000 plastic surgeries were performed in the Dominican Republic and more than 18,000 of those were on foreigners. However, like Cedeño, not all who go there to get work done return home.

In June, Manuel Núñez, a New Yorker who had also gone to get liposculpture, died under the knife in a Dominican operating room. According to Telemundo, the doctor who operated on him was actually a gynecologist. He had a past history of negligence and was charged for the deaths of two women in 2015 but the charges were dropped for lack of evidence.

Then in July, Alexandra Medina, a 33-year-old from Yonkers, became the second New Yorker and third American to die within a month in a Dominican plastic surgery clinic when she went for a tummy tuck.

Of the 12 New Yorkers who have died in Dominican plastic surgeries in the last six years, all but one underwent multiple surgeries at once. All 12 were black or Hispanic.

Dr Myla Bennett, an Atlanta-based plastic surgeon who describes herself as a safe surgery advocate, started to speak out against botched plastic surgeries abroad on her social media pages a few years ago after realizing most patients being hurt and killed were women of color or people of lower socioeconomic status.

Bennett said the Dominican Republic doesn’t adhere to the same US regulations concerning how much body fat can be removed in one surgery, which increases the likelihood of heart failure and other consequences during procedures.

Despite the risks that come with surgery, she says people continue to flock to the Dominican Republic, because that’s where they can get an extreme Coke bottle figure for a lower cost.

“The ladies want this particular shape – a really exaggerated form with a small waist and big ole’ hips and butt,” Bennett said. “A lot of the surgeons in the Dominican Republic, that’s what they do really well.”

Hector Cabral, who practices at the International Center of Advanced Plastic Surgery (CIPLA) in downtown Santo Domingo, is known for sculpting impossibly voluptuous bodies. Like Contreras, Cedeño’s doctor, he has a large following on social media, a tool which is heavily utilized to advertise their work and recruit new patients.

Contreras and Cabral are also known for the nine combined times they have made headlines after patients died on their operating tables.

Contreras’ clinic was shut down two days after Cedeño’s death by the national prosecutor’s office, only to reopen four months later. In a radio interview with Radio Zol FM in June 2015, Contreras admitted that there were three more accusations made against him from the families of three other patients who had died after surgery with him since 1999. He said that Dominican authorities declared no medical malpractices in those deaths. Contreras added that until Cedeño’s death, he had performed more than 20,000 surgeries.

Thirty minutes away from the posh hills of Arroyo Hondo towards the city center, CIPLA was shut down not as a result of a death during surgery, but due to a bacterial outbreak in July 2017 in its operating rooms that infected 32 Americans, three of them New York City residents.

A study last year by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons noted that between 2003 and 2017 there were 29 cases of postoperative infections in the Dominican Republic, compared to just three in Mexico – the second country with the most cases of plastic surgery tourists.

In May, health authorities closed CIPLA again after a Dominican native, Altagracia Diaz, died during a breast reduction surgery with Cabral, becoming the fifth woman – three of whom are from New York – to die in Cabral’s care since 2013. It has not reopened. There is one other known case this year of a death of a Dominican native – Julia Arias, who died after receiving a procedure in January in Santo Domingo.

On his Instagram account, which has more than 270,000 followers, Cabral publishes client testimonials and highly stylized before and after photos. Like Contreras and other doctors, he refers to his past clients as his “dolls” or, in this case, “Cabral barbies”.

Thousands of pictures of women show them with the camera focused on their new breasts under tightly stretched tops or flaunting their new hips as they bulge out from under bikini straps. The comments section of each post turns into a tug-of-war for likes between those who say his surgeries are dangerous and those who swear by his work.

But Cabral’s recruitment has not always been limited to just social media. In 2011, Cabral pleaded guilty to charges from the New York attorney general’s office that he treated patients in upper Manhattan without a state medical license on at least 10 different occasions. According to the attorney general, Cabral offered medical consultations to women in beauty salons in Washington Heights as a recruiting tactic. As part of his punishment, Cabral had to pay more than $23,000 in restitution to ten clients, a $5,000 fine and he was barred from obtaining a New York medical license for three years.

In a crowded press conference in May following Díaz’s death, Cabral appeared unapologetic and stated, monotonously, that she had “an unexpected event” at the beginning of the operation and doctors unsuccessfully tried to revive her in intensive care. In the press conference, an unprompted Cabral said he never tried to flee the country.

The Dominican Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, the local regulatory board that oversees the industry, told a local news station that Cabral had been suspended from the association since 2015. Cabral was still able to practice since he was registered with the country’s health ministry, which illustrates the lax rules in the Dominican Republic. (The Guardian called and sent messages to Cabral on several occasions. He did not answer or respond.)

Cabral’s suspension came one year after New Yorker Rachene Hutchinson went into surgery with him and never came out.

In July of 2014, Hutchinson, a mother of five from Long Island who frequented the island with her Dominican partner, traveled to Cabral’s clinic for a “mommy makeover”: a combination of surgeries that usually involves reshaping the breasts and abdomen following pregnancy. She died from a build-up of fluid that compresses the heart. Her mother, Diane Shields, posted her death certificate to a Facebook account which divulges details about her daughter’s death and warns others about Cabral.

At the end of June, Dominican health officials passed new plastic surgery regulations for the country’s 56 clinics. Most notable is a new resolution that requires cardiovascular and preanesthetic assessments to be done before surgery. In addition, it recommends foreign patients wait 48 hours after their flight before going into surgery due to the air pressure, and at least another three weeks after the surgery to return on intercontinental flights. A 2015 resolution laid the ground rules for surgeon qualification requirements, but this is the first time that such specific preventative measures have been passed.

The new health code includes increased sanctions against any doctor or clinic found to be guilty of medical malpractice. Clinics that are closed down, like CIPLA, will need to pass a health ministry-approved improvement plan to reopen.

If potential patients were starting to grow weary of the number of deaths over the last six years, these new regulations may encourage them to think conditions are safer. Or maybe there was never a slow down in the pipeline anyway, even for those directly affected by the industry’s flaws.

“The pain is always there, it will always be there,” Kendra said. “I feel like you just learn how to live with that pain.”

But Kendra underwent surgery in the Dominican Republic herself this May, even though she had once promised herself she would let go of her long-held desire to get plastic surgery after her sister’s death.

“I guess it’s just something like insecurities,” Kendra said. “I just want to make myself feel prettier.”

how much does it cost to get your body done in dominican republic

Your destination country sets requirements for pets entering the country, which can change at any time. Most countries require pets to arrive with a health certificate (also called an international health certificate, a veterinary health certificate, a veterinary certificate, or an export certificate). You must verify the country requirements each time you plan to travel with your pet. 

The process for taking a pet bird or other exotic animal out of the United States may involve multiple agencies, including the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) Program, U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). You must meet ALL requirements for each of these agencies before traveling with a pet bird or exotic animal. If you are bringing your pet bird back to the U.S., plan ahead with meeting the requirements for returning.

Airlines and shipping lines establish their own policies to transport pets in addition to the requirements of the federal, state, and local governments. Check with your airline or ship representative to determine what requirements they may have. If you are brining your pet bird back into the U.S., plan ahead with meeting the requirements for returning.

top 10 plastic surgeons in dominican republic

Details of 5 Best Plastic Surgeons in Dominican Republic

1. Dr. Silvia Aviles

Dr. Silvia Aviles Terrero is one of the most experienced and skilled cosmetic surgeons in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She has an impressive educational background, having obtained her Doctor of Medicine from INTEC (Technological Institute of Santo Domingo) with Suma Cumlaude honors, and a postgraduate degree in Aesthetic, Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery from Salvador B. Gautier Hospital, Dominican Institute of Social Security. In addition, she completed fellowships in Surgery of the Hands and Microsurgery from the KleinertKutz Hand Care Center, University of Louisville, Kentucky USA and Head and Neck Cosmetic Surgery Training from the Peck Center in West Orange, New Jersey.

2. Dr Carlos Gonzalez

Dr Carlos Gonzalez is renowned for being one of the top plastic surgeons in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has extensive experience and training, helping hundreds of patients achieve their aesthetic goals through the exceptional quality of care that he offers. His passion for excellence makes him a trusted authority in his field, and his work speaks for itself. It’s no surprise that so many people strive to have Dr Carlos Gonzalez operate on them – they know they will get outstanding results time and time again. From small procedures to complex ones, Dr Gonzalez can confidently provide you with the best possible outcome in your desired area.

3. Dr. Jose Leon M.D

Dr. Jose Leon who is a graduate of the Universidad Iberoamericana in Santo Domingo in 2003 and went on to obtain the Doctor of Medicine title. He is an active member of the Ibero-Latin American federation of plastic surgeons (Filacp) and the Dominican society of reconstructive and aesthetic plastic circuit (Sodosipre).

Jose Leon M.D. Plastic Surgery clinic is located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic offering a wide range of top-notch cosmetic surgery and aesthetic treatments to international patients at an affordable price. The clinic provides personal attention and quality service to serve towards their commitment to patients’ safety and well-being. They make the best use of technology and innovations to provide patients with top-notch aesthetic solutions. Their surgical and non-surgical procedures ensure that the patients get the figure they have always dream of.

4. Dr. Javier Baez Angles

Dr. Javier Baez Angles is an Aesthetic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, specialized in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil,” the world’s most significant reference in the field of cosmetic and plastic surgery”, is board certified by the Dominican Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery SODOCIPRE, also by international entities like FILACP (Federación Ibero Latinoamericana de Cirugía Plástica y Reconstructiva) and IPRAS (International Confederation for Plastic & Aesthetic Surgery).

Dr. Javier Baez Angles center is located in Santiago, Dominican Republic and offers numerous Cosmetic and Plastic procedures including breast implants, breast lift, tummy tuck, liposuction, liposculpture, buttock augmentation, buttock lift, nose surgery (rhinoplasty), face lift, eye surgery (blepharoplasty), chin contouring, chin implant, lip implant, neck lift, and many more. Offering pocket-friendly costs and featuring the latest technology and a renowned team of medical specialists, Dr. Javier Baez Angles welcomes both international and local patients.

5. Dra. Tania Medina

Dra. Tania Medina is one of the best board-certified plastic surgeons in Dominican Republic. In her clinic in Santo Domingo she has performed countless successful procedures, and she is known for her natural-looking results. Dra. Medina takes a personalized approach to each of her patients, and she will work with you to ensure that you are happy with your results.

In addition to her outstanding technical abilities, Dra. Medina offers her patients personalized care and attention. She takes the time to get to know each patient and their individual goals. As a result, she is able to provide them with the best possible care and achieve natural-looking results. If you are considering cosmetic surgery, Dra. Medina is the ideal choice.

6. Dr. Rafael Mirabal

Dr. Mirabal studied the specialty of plastic surgeon at the prestigious school of medicine of Universidad del Salvador, from Buenos Aires, Argentina. In our center, you will always have the corresponding evalution by the appropiate specialist to fo focus in your concern, answer your doubts and offer the best treatment available for your particular case.

Dr. Rafael Miraba has cosmetic and aesthetic surgery clinic in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. The clinic offers a variety of plastic surgery procedures, such as breast implants and lift, liposuction, tummy tuck, nose surgery and many more.

Benefits of the Cosmetic Surgery

One of the biggest benefits of cosmetic surgery is the ability to work with esteemed professionals, like those at Best Plastic Surgeon in Dominican Republic. Their doctors are highly trained, certified, and experienced in providing the latest in modern aesthetic treatments while ensuring the highest standards of safety and care. With their expert knowledge and artistry, patients can expect improved appearance and quality of life when they choose to undergo a cosmetic procedure. Best Plastic Surgeon in Dominican Republic prioritizes patient satisfaction with complete comfort and privacy throughout each consultation and operation. From enhanced aesthetic features to lifesaving reconstructive surgeries, their team offers reliable treatment options for their clients from start to finish.

Questions You Should Ask a Plastic Surgeon before Going for a Plastic Surgery in Dominican Republic

When you are going to a new place for a surgery like Plastic Surgery, you will have a lot of doubts and queries in your mind. It is very important to ask questions to the doctor and get all your doubts clear. Here is a list of ten questions that you can ask a plastic surgeon before going for a Plastic Surgery in Santo Domino, Dominican Republic:

Book Appointment with best Plastic Surgeon in Dominican Republic

Looking for the best plastic surgeon to help enhance your appearance in the Dominican Republic? The search stops here! We offer you the opportunity to book an appointment with the top plastic surgeon in all of the Dominican Republic. With years of experience and a long list of satisfied customers, you can rest assured that you will be getting quality care the whole way through. Whether it’s a facelift, tummy tuck, or something else, our top plastic surgeon guarantees efficient and satisfactory results. Don’t wait any longer–schedule an appointment today and take your first step towards achieving your ideal look!

Thus, it is a great choice to go through plastic surgery in Dominican Republic. If you want to search for the best clinics, doctors and packages for cosmetic surgery in Dominican Republic, let PlacidWay assist you.