US CDC flags health risks linked to travel-related cosmetic procedures

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday that many Americans suffered serious complications - including bacterial infections and, in some cases, death - after traveling within the country and abroad for cosmetic procedures.

The agency cited a study published in its Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, which reviewed more than 2,100 reports from 2014 to 2024 of U.S. residents who traveled for cosmetic procedures, including liposuction and breast augmentation.

The study identified 21 reports involving about 145 patients who experienced adverse outcomes, including infections, associated with both domestic and international surgery centers and clinics.

"More and more people are getting medical procedures outside the United States, but there are risks," said Kiara McNamara, a CDC nurse epidemiologist and the lead author of the study.

U.S. residents often travel to Mexico and Canada, as well as countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean for medical tourism, according to the CDC's website.

Postsurgical infections were found in 20 reports, the study showed, including 12 suspected or confirmed cases of bacterial infections.

Four of the reports involved patient deaths, the agency said, adding that one domestic and one international investigation found significant lapses in environmental cleaning, personal protective equipment use, hand hygiene, and surgical equipment reprocessing.

The agency urged stronger surveillance, closer collaboration between healthcare providers and public health agencies, and more proactive patient education to spot complications early and help prevent them.

People commonly seek medical care abroad owing to lower costs, culturally familiar providers, or procedures unavailable or unapproved in the United States. Common treatments for which residents travel include dental care, cosmetic surgery, fertility care, transplants, and cancer.

(Reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Diti Pujara)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 10:16 AM.