Jade, a fellow PSJer, found a great site put together by Mexican patients of Mexican plastic surgeons. The site is http://www.cirujanosplasticos.info/
It talks about exposing unsatisfactory results with PS in Mexico and features images of work from unhappy customers.

I’m going to translate as best I can.
It took me a LOOOOOONNNGGGG time to translate this - but I still may not have it all right - so to you spanish speakers, please correct me if you see any misinterpretations.

Quote from website (translated):

Because the media does not take the time to discern the good from the bad and report on it, we have formed a group of patients who in quiet form decided to share our experiences after having undergone a series of bad expereinces caused by doctors of the Mexican Plastic and Reconstacitve Surgery Associaton.

On this page we share nothing false. Our goal is to send out to the masses the TRUTH that the media, for reasons unknown to us, will CHOOSE not to divulge.

We believe that in this country (MEXICO), we should be able to learn the truth of what something really is and what each doctor really represents in his/her practice.

We, as patients, have sufffered such horrible disgrace. We find it heart-breaking to see so many surgeons advertise thier exclusivity and kindness, when in fact they commit such errors.

We invite anyone who has had a bad experience with any plastic surgeon who is a member of Mexican Plastic and Reconstacitve Surgery Associaton to please share your story with us. Please send us your photos and Dr’s name.
We must not let ourselves be victomized by those wolves in sheeps clothing.

Here are the plastic surgeons in Mexico Listed:
Dr. Edgar Morales
Dr. Angel Papadópulos Escobar
Grupo de Cirujanos Plasticos del Instituto de Cirugía Reconstructiva (ICR)
Dr. José Pedro Castro Aranda
Dr. Ricardo Rivera
Dr. Alejandro Rodríguez Aceves
Dr. Oscar Fernández Félix
Dr. Marco A. Rendón Pimentel
Médicos del equipo del Instituo de Cirugía Reconstructiva de Jalisco
Cirujano Plástico Venezolano trabajando en México con total libertad
Dr. Mario A. Mucharraz Brambila
Dr. José Pedro Castro Aranda
Dr. Lazaro Cardenas Camarena
Dr. Pedro Vega Villasante
Dr. Alfonso Daniel Miranda Torres
Cirujano Plástico de Guadalajara, Jal.
Dr. Octavio Agustín Cruz Ledezma
Dr. Ballesteros
Dr. Tomás Ibarra
Dr. José GuerreroSantos
Dr. Oscar Fernández Félix
Dr. Héctor González Miramontes
Dr. Rafael Vergara Calleros
Dr. Cano
Dr. Pedro Vega Villasante
Dr. Octavio Agustín Cruz Ledezma

This week, our PSJ member, LatinaLinda, was featured in an article for the Associated Press.

Here is the link to the article on CNN Online.

Quote from article:

Gold was initially contacted through an Internet forum where people interested in plastic surgery discuss their concerns and share their experiences. Many of them have traveled to Colombia for operations. Other destinations mentioned on the forums include the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Thailand. Venezuela, Argentina and Ecuador, along with Brazil, also have plastic surgery-tourism industries.

She was found on psjourneys.com.

Quote from article:

The organization also says that vacation activity and post-surgery healing don’t mix, unequivocally warning: “Patients should not sunbathe, drink alcohol, swim/snorkel, water ski/jet ski, parasail, take extensive tours (walking or bus), or exercise after surgery.” The ASPS also recommends waiting five to 10 days, depending on the procedure, before taking a flight after surgery.

I think most people who go abroad know that it is no vacation. Recovery is spent resting and not waterskiing and parasailing. In my years meeting patients who travel abroad for surgery, I have yet to encounter a patient who thinks they can go rockclimbing or participate in extreme sports while recovering. That goes without saying…. it may be considered a vacation because you are resting - not because you surfing and partying the night away…

Thanks LatinaLinda for the plug. I am still amazed that 56 lbs were lipoed out by your plastic surgeon in Bogata, Colombia.

LL posted her before and after pictures on the PSJ gallery.

HenricJ stumbled across plasticsurgeryjourneys.com a few days after he booked his surgery and sent the refundable deposit to the Miguelangelo Plastic Surgery Clinic in Cabo San Lucas. This clinic is very popular after being featured on a show on the Discovery Channel.

For whatever reason, he decided to cancel his surgery. It was months before the actual date, and he recalled the email that stated that if he cancelled more than 2 weeks before his surgery he could receive a full refund.

Well, he cancelled. And Miguelangelo Plastic Surgery Clinic in Cabo San Lucas refused to credit the deposit back to this patient.

HenricJ said:

This is, of course, one of the risks of going outside the country–I fear there is little I can do.
This incident has confirmed to me that I’m making the right decision about bailing out on the Miguelangelo Clinic…not very honorable!

He inquired with the Consulate… and reviewed his options with a Mexican lawyer.

When the members of plasticsurgeryjourneys.com heard about these deceiving practices, they began a letter-writing campaign. Members wrote to this clinic in defense of HenricJ. Maybe it was the swarm of emails, or maybe the clinic had a case of temporary amnesia when they first denied HJ a refund…. but they are now saying that they WILL refund the deposit.

PSJer Fran summed it up when she said:

It really shows you the power of a group of people who work together to right a wrong! Way to go. Crossing my fingers that she follows through now. Please keep us updated!

PSJers were recently polled on the langauge skills of thier plastic surgeon abroad.

Here are the results:
38.89% (14) - Excellent - I didn’t even notice I was abroad!
50.00% (18) - Good - we were able to communicate well
8.33% (3) - There were times I wondered if I was understood
2.78% (1) - Terrible - but luckily sign langauge works!

It is interesting. Langauge is not a problem when it comes to speaking with PSes abroad. Most have studied English and can read and write fluently.

One thing to note, is that sometimes the nurses do not speak English. What PSJers have said is that expressing pain is a universal langauge.

It will be interesting to poll the langauge skills ofthe staff next…..