Is It Safe to Have Surgery in Tijuana?
The question people ask most, and the one that is answered worst. Safety does not depend on the city: it depends on who operates, where they operate and what happens afterward.
At your consultation, Dr. Chama explains clearly the risks, the recovery and what result to expect in your case, so that you can decide with all the information.
“Tijuana” is not the variable that determines the risk
Tijuana concentrates an enormous amount of plastic surgery because of its proximity to California, and that concentration produces both things at the same time: surgeons with a great deal of experience in specific procedures, and commercial operations that sell surgery as if it were a travel package. The city is not the variable; the filter is.
Put another way: the useful question is not “is it safe to have surgery in Tijuana?” but “how do I verify that this surgery, with this surgeon, in this place, is safe for me?” That one can be answered with concrete criteria, and they are the same ones you would apply in any city in the world.
This guide is informational. It does not replace a medical consultation and it does not address your particular case — it addresses how to evaluate the person who will.
Council certification: what it is and how to verify it
In Mexico, a specialty is accredited at two distinct levels that are often confused. One is the degree and the legal authorization to practice medicine. The other is Council certification: a specialty body evaluates the surgeon, certifies them and recertifies them periodically. They are different things, and the second is the one that speaks to current specialization in plastic surgery.
This matters because “cosmetic surgeon” is not a protected specialty in everyday language. A physician can offer cosmetic procedures without being a certified plastic surgeon, and in advertising material that difference is rarely visible.
How to verify it, in practice: ask directly for the surgeon’s full name and Council certification, and confirm it in the registry of the corresponding body, not on the clinic’s website. A certified surgeon has no problem giving you that information — reluctance to share it is already information.
- Ask for the full name of the surgeon who will operate on you, not the name of the clinic or of the coordinator who is assisting you.
- Verify the certification in the official registry of the specialty body, not in the clinic’s own material.
- Confirm that the certification is current: it is renewed periodically, it is not permanent.
- Check that the specialty matches the procedure you are going to have.
The place where surgery is performed changes the room to maneuver
An operating room inside a hospital is not the same as an adapted office. The difference is not noticeable when everything goes well; it is noticeable exactly in the scenario where something gets complicated.
A hospital setting has an emergency team, a blood bank, intensive care and trained staff available on the spot. A complication that is resolved in minutes in that context means transferring the patient in an office without that support. That time is exactly what matters.
Dr. Chama operates in a hospital setting. When you compare options, ask for the name of the hospital, not just whether it is “a certified place” — and confirm what type of support it has available.
Who administers the anesthesia
It is the question asked least and one of the ones that weighs the most. Anesthesia should be handled by a physician anesthesiologist, dedicated exclusively to that throughout the entire procedure and to monitoring you while it lasts.
It is worth asking explicitly: who administers the anesthesia, what their specialty is, and whether they remain present during the entire surgery. In a well-organized operation the answer is immediate and specific.
What happens afterward, especially if you cross back
The postoperative period is part of the surgery, not an extra. If you live in the United States, the concrete question is who follows up with you once you are on the other side and what happens if something does not progress as expected.
Before scheduling, it is wise to have these points settled: how long you need to stay in Tijuana after the procedure —it varies depending on the surgery, so ask about your case—, how and with whom the remote follow-up is done, and what happens if you need an in-person review consultation.
A sign of serious organization: they explain the follow-up plan to you before you pay anything, not after.
Warning signs when choosing
None of these signs proves on its own that a place is bad, but several together are reason enough to keep looking:
- They quote you by phone or by message without a prior medical consultation.
- They do not tell you the name of the surgeon who will operate on you, only the name of the clinic or the package.
- They propose operating on you the same day you arrive, without a prior in-person consultation.
- The main sales argument is a comparison of rates, not the surgical plan.
- There is pressure to decide quickly: discounts that expire, schedules that “fill up today.”
- They promise a specific result in advance, without having evaluated you.
- There is no written follow-up plan, nor clarity about what it covers and what it does not.
- They dodge the question about certification, hospital or anesthesiologist.
What the health authority regulates in Mexico
In Mexico, the advertising of health services and the operation of establishments are regulated by the federal health authority. That includes rules on what may be advertised and how, and operating requirements for the establishments where procedures are performed.
A practical effect you will notice: sites that comply with the regulation do not publish price lists for surgical procedures or promise results. When you see an offer that does, you already know something about the criteria that clinic operates by.
On this site we do not publish rates for that reason, and also on medical grounds: the real scope of a surgical plan is only known after you have been evaluated. A figure published in advance almost never matches the specific case of the person reading it.
Related Procedures
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to have surgery in Tijuana?
Safety does not depend on the city but on three concrete variables: that the surgeon has a current Council certification, that the surgery is performed in a setting with hospital support, and that a real follow-up plan exists. If those three are met and can be verified, the framework is solid. If any of them cannot be confirmed, that is the problem — no matter which city you are in.
How do I verify that a surgeon is certified?
Ask for their full name and their Council certification, and confirm it in the official registry of the specialty body, not on the clinic’s website. Also check that it is current, because the certification is renewed periodically. A certified surgeon answers that question without hedging.
What is the difference between having surgery in a hospital and in an office?
The difference shows up when something gets complicated. A hospital setting has an emergency team, a blood bank and intensive care available on the spot; an adapted office means transferring the patient if a complication arises, and that time counts. Ask for the name of the hospital where your procedure would be performed.
Who administers the anesthesia?
It should be a physician anesthesiologist, dedicated to that throughout the entire procedure and monitoring you while it lasts. Ask explicitly before scheduling: who administers it, what their specialty is and whether they remain present throughout the surgery.
What happens if I have a complication after I have already returned to the United States?
That should be settled before you have surgery, not after. Ask how the remote follow-up is done, who you communicate with directly if something does not progress as expected, and in which cases an in-person review consultation is required. We see patients in Spanish and English and follow up with patients who travel from the U.S.
How long do I have to stay in Tijuana after surgery?
It depends on the procedure and your case, so confirm it at your consultation — there is no single answer, and be wary of anyone who gives you a generic figure before examining you. What you can do is raise it from the first consultation so you can plan the trip with room to spare.
Why don’t you publish prices on the site?
For two reasons. Mexican health regulations govern the advertising of health services, and publishing rates for surgical procedures is not compatible with that framework. And from a clinical standpoint, the real scope of a plan is only known after you have been evaluated: a figure published in advance almost never matches the case of the person reading it. That is why the quote is personalized and comes out of your consultation.
What should a serious consultation include?
An in-person or virtual review with the surgeon who will operate on you —not just with a coordinator—, a review of your medical history and medications, an explanation of the specific risks of your procedure, and a clear follow-up plan. If the consultation focuses on closing the sale and not on reviewing your case, that is already an answer.
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Last updated: October 14, 2026
Results may vary from person to person.