This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a concerning report tracking the number of U.S. Citizens that have died in the Dominican Republic after undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures. The report compiles death information reported to Dominican Republic’s U.S. Embassy from 2009-2022, and it is eye-opening to say the least.
In a time where many people want to modify their bodies, sometimes the desired procedures are simply too expensive, or the wait times are too long, on American soil. So they head to the Dominican Republic where cosmetic procedures are known to be cheaper.
Yet according to the study, over 93 Americans died in the Dominican Republic from various forms of liposuction: tummy tucks, breast augmentations, and Brazilian Butt Lifts.
Fat transfer procedures have been popularized over the years, with many people wanting that flat stomach, large breasts, and voluptuous butt combo. And even some of the biggest Black celebrities have gone under the knife for their snatched figures, such as Nene Leakes getting a mini BBL in 2022 and Cardi B getting a breast augmentation and butt injections years ago. However, with the unfortunate death of “Wild N’ Out” star Jacky Oh, a day after her butt lift surgery, she is unfortunate proof that nobody is safe from complications.
According to the CDC report, between the years 2019 and 2020, nearly 20 patients died from fat embolism, which can occur when fat injections are used to enlarge and reshape the buttocks. People who undergo fat transfers are also at-risk of blood clots forming in their veins when getting multiple procedures done during one operation period or when their BMI and age are higher than recommended.
Illegal silicon injections have also been big in the Black community, with stars such as K. Michelle and Blac Chyna admitting to getting the painful procedures and nearly dying years later from complications. K. Michelle said that she ended up getting 13 surgeries in one year to remove the silicon remnants in her body. In 2023 Blac Chyna, now going by Angela White, documented her experience reversing her past risky body modifications.
After the CDC’s alarming findings, over 77 cosmetic surgery facilities in the Dominican Republic were monitored and made sure to have proper procedures to avoid infections, which also contributed to some complications and deaths after surgery.
Is that Coke bottle shape really worth a possible death?
