Local Bacterial Infections Linked To Cosmetic Surgeries At Dominican Republic Clinic
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced Thursday that a cluster of local Mycobacterium bacterial skin infections has been linked to cosmetic surgery performed in the Dominican Republic.
As 1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon reported, Nontuberculous Mycobacterium skin infections are not rare. But Deputy New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said the infection "is one that's really challenging to treat."
Barbot said the infection can require surgery to remove the affected tissue, and months of medication.
"It's something that's very involved, and it takes a long time to recover from," she said.
Linda McFaline of the Bronx said she is going through the infection now.
"It was a very scary situation – it was just, I thought I was going to die," she said.
McFaline is one of the 10 women from New York City and Connecticut who got sick after liposuction and other procedures at the International Center for Cosmetic Surgery in Santo Domingo between March and April.
She does not want it to happen to any other women.
"If they have to close it down because they need to clean it up, or you know, sterilize everything to do it," McFaline said.
But more importantly, she wants to tell women to love and accept their bodies as they are and not take the risk.
