Medical cosmetic treatments in Mexico offer big savings. Why Americans are making the trip as potential risks remain

As healthcare and living costs strain many household budgets, some Americans are looking beyond the U.S. border for cosmetic treatments they say they cannot afford at home.

In Tijuana, Mexico, a growing number of medical tourists are seeking discounted procedures, including Botox injections, laser treatments and other aesthetic services. For some, even the cost of airfare and a hotel does not erase the potential savings.

CBS California Investigates accompanied a group of women traveling from San Diego to Lipo Tijuana VIP, a medical spa that attracts patients from across the United States.

The group included women from Mississippi, South Carolina and Southern California who traveled to the clinic for a range of cosmetic treatments.

Alisha Thornlimb, known online as @hippie girl.modernworld, who organizes group trips for people seeking beauty treatments in Mexico, said she started the business after videos of her own experiences went viral on social media.

"I had a lot of ladies that were like, 'I want to go, but I'm scared. But take me with you,'" Thornlimb said. "We'll try it once and see how it goes, and the rest is kind of history."

The price differences can be substantial, according to a comparison of treatments at Lipo Tijuana VIP and prices in the Los Angeles area.

Read more at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexican-medical-cosmetic-treatments-lipo-tijuana-vip-risks/

By Kristine Lazar, Amy Corral, Chelsea Hylton