I went to Mexico for bariatric surgery and have zero regrets — it was a third of the cost and I never felt unsafe

Thu, 04/20/2023 - 13:49

Kasey Spicer and her husband Rob pose after their bariatric surgeries. — Kasey Spicer and her husband, Rob, both got bariatric surgery in Tijuana, Mexico.
Courtesy of Kasey Spicer

Mexico's medical-tourism business brings more than 1 million Americans to the country each year.
Kasey Spicer traveled to Tijuana for bariatric surgery in 2021 and had a successful experience.
Her husband didn't want her to go, but it went so well, he got the same surgery in Mexico in 2022.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kasey Spicer, a 44-year-old school teacher from Lexington, South Carolina, about traveling to Mexico for bariatric surgery. The following has been edited for length and clarity.