Why TikTok's Health Tourism Trend Is Riskier Than You'd Think
By Nicole Cord-Cruz
VACATIONS
TikTok has become an invaluable tool when it comes to dispensing all manner of traveling tips; however, some advice isn't as good as it might seem.
Health tourism is growing in popularity, but it also has risks. One example is Shannyn Palmer, a woman who went to Mexico for a "mommy makeover," which included a tummy tuck.
She told "Good Morning America" that a mishap left her "permanently disfigured," causing irreversible damage to her hands that resulted in her dominant thumb being amputated.
Dr. Nolan Perez, a gastroenterologist in Brownsville, Texas, told CNN that complications are all too common, explaining, "There are a lot of bad outcomes."
He added, "There are a lot of infections and a lot of botched procedures gone wrong, and patients have to come back to the United States and then have a revision of the surgery."
Other major concerns with health tourism are the uncertainty about the qualifications of medical professionals abroad and the difficulties of getting compensation for any damages.