The death of Yulixa Toloza once again pushed Colombia’s underground cosmetic surgery industry into the national spotlight. What initially appeared to be another isolated case of medical negligence quickly evolved into a far more alarming story after authorities revealed that the man captured in connection with the procedure was allegedly not a certified surgeon, but a hairstylist accused of carrying out invasive aesthetic interventions without the professional qualifications required by law.
The case shocked the country not only because of the tragic outcome, but because it reopened a debate that doctors, patients, and health sector observers have raised for years: The persistent existence of so-called garage clinics, clandestine aesthetic centers operating with little oversight, questionable sanitary conditions, and unqualified personnel.
Although public outrage resurfaces every time a tragedy dominates headlines, experts insist these establishments are not new. On the contrary, they have operated for years in cities across Colombia, often in plain sight and frequently advertised through social media platforms where promises of low-cost beauty transformations spread rapidly.
The Yulixa Toloza case became even more disturbing as details surrounding the procedure emerged. According to information cited by Colombian media reports, the intervention allegedly cost between 3 and 3.5 million Colombian pesos (roughly US$730 – US$850) and included sedation, post-operative massages, compression garments, and fat transfer procedures.
In Colombia’s formal cosmetic surgery market, specialists say similar procedures performed in legally certified clinics with trained surgical teams, anesthesiologists, and emergency protocols can easily exceed 10 or 15 million pesos (roughly US$3,400 – US$3,600) depending on complexity and location. That enormous gap in price is precisely one of the driving forces behind Colombia’s clandestine aesthetic industry.
For thousands of patients seeking cosmetic procedures, low prices can become the deciding factor in a country where beauty standards, social pressure, and influencer culture continue fueling demand for increasingly accessible surgeries and body modification procedures.
But experts warn that behind many of these “all-inclusive” offers lie dangerous irregularities: Surgeries performed inside apartments, adapted homes, beauty salons, or commercial spaces that lack the infrastructure necessary to respond to medical emergencies.
According to preliminary investigations, the location where Yulixa underwent the procedure was reportedly operated legally as a beauty salon rather than a licensed surgical center. The revelation intensified public concern over how someone allegedly lacking the proper medical credentials could operate with enough freedom to attract patients without attracting earlier intervention from authorities.
The case became even more shocking after details emerged regarding the circumstances surrounding her death. According to information revealed exclusively by La FM radio station, a forensic report from Colombia’s National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences concluded that Yulixa Consuelo Toloza Rivas, 52, died from a pulmonary embolism after undergoing surgery at an illegal aesthetic center in Bogota on May 13. A pulmonary embolism occurs when an artery in the lungs becomes suddenly blocked, generally by a blood clot.
Authorities later found Yulixa Toloza’s body abandoned near a roadside wooded area in the rural sector of La Naveta, between the municipalities of Apulo and Anapoima in the department of Cundinamarca. The discovery intensified public outrage and transformed the case into a symbol of the dangers surrounding Colombia’s underground cosmetic surgery market.
For many, the tragedy did not expose an isolated criminal act. It exposed a much larger structural problem that Colombia has failed to confront despite years of warnings. Doctors and patient advocates argue that the country continues to treat these cases as individual scandals instead of recognizing them as part of a broader public health crisis linked to weak regulation, insufficient oversight, and the rapid expansion of informal cosmetic procedures.
Medellin and the expansion of aesthetic ‘garage clinics’
The renewed attention surrounding the Yulixa Toloza case comes at a moment when Medellin and the department of Antioquia are facing increasing scrutiny over the proliferation of illegal cosmetic surgery centers.
In recent years, Medellin has strengthened its reputation as one of Latin America’s leading destinations for aesthetic medicine and medical tourism. The city attracts both Colombian and foreign patients searching for procedures that are often significantly cheaper than those offered in the United States or Europe.
Liposuction, breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and body contouring surgeries have become part of a multimillion-dollar industry closely tied to tourism, beauty culture, and social media visibility. But alongside internationally recognized clinics and highly trained surgeons, another parallel market has grown quietly and aggressively.
According to figures highlighted by outlet Infobae, Medellin and the department of Antioquia have registered at least 17 deaths linked to cosmetic procedures performed in irregular or clandestine centers over the last two years.
The report also revealed that 2024 became one of the most critical years for the region, with 11 deaths associated with aesthetic surgeries, while another five people reportedly died during 2025 after undergoing cosmetic interventions. The same reporting also documented 379 adverse complications associated with aesthetic procedures in the last two years alone.
At the same time, the scale of local inspections reveals how widespread the problem has become. According to Antioquia’s Health Department, they have conducted 80 inspections of establishments dedicated to aesthetic procedures during the last two years. Those operations resulted in the closure of 64 centers due to hygiene failures, licensing irregularities, and other violations detected during official visits.
The figures are alarming because they suggest a significant number of these businesses were operating despite failing to meet basic sanitary or legal standards.
Health sector specialists argue the data exposes both the magnitude of the underground cosmetic surgery market and the difficulty authorities face in controlling a rapidly expanding industry fueled by high demand and aggressive digital advertising. There appear to be several factors explaining why Medellin has become one of the epicenters of this phenomenon in Colombia.
One of the main reasons is the city’s explosive growth as a cosmetic surgery destination. The international visibility of Medellin’s aesthetic industry has generated enormous demand, creating opportunities not only for legitimate professionals but also for illegal operators seeking quick profits in a highly lucrative market.
Social media has also transformed the dynamics of the industry. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok have allowed informal aesthetic businesses to promote dramatic before-and-after transformations while advertising procedures at prices far below those offered by certified clinics.
In many cases, these accounts prioritize viral content and visual marketing over transparency regarding licenses, certifications, or patient safety protocols. The result is an environment where appearance often overshadows medical rigor.
Many patients, specialists warn, struggle to distinguish between legally certified clinics and clandestine establishments disguised as professional medical centers. Some illegal facilities reportedly imitate the aesthetics of legitimate clinics through social media branding, luxurious photographs, and influencer partnerships despite lacking proper authorization to perform invasive procedures.
Meanwhile, the growing pressure surrounding physical appearance and body image continues driving demand for faster and cheaper cosmetic solutions, particularly among younger populations heavily exposed to digital beauty trends.
Specialists say this combination of economic pressure, social validation, and aggressive marketing has helped normalize risky procedures without enough public awareness regarding the potentially fatal consequences.
Authorities accused of acting only after deaths occur
The Yulixa Toloza case has intensified criticism toward Colombian authorities and the apparent lack of preventive action against illegal cosmetic surgery centers.
Doctors and health care organizations argue that many of these establishments are not hidden operations functioning entirely underground. In numerous cases, they advertise openly online, operate for years within neighborhoods, and accumulate complaints before any meaningful inspection occurs.
Yet despite years of warnings, illegal aesthetic centers continue appearing across Colombia under new names, new social media accounts, and new commercial facades.
One of the major challenges for authorities is that Colombia still does not have an official nationwide figure showing how many illegal or “garage” aesthetic clinics may currently be operating across the country.
Specialists say the absence of a consolidated registry reflects the difficulty of controlling a phenomenon that constantly mutates, with establishments changing locations, commercial identities, and digital platforms to avoid sanctions.
Part of the problem is that many of these places do not legally appear as surgical clinics at all. Some operate under commercial registrations associated with beauty salons, spas, barber shops, or wellness centers while allegedly performing invasive medical procedures without authorization.
Others operate almost entirely through social media, offering surgeries and aesthetic packages through Instagram, TikTok, or WhatsApp with little transparency regarding certifications or sanitary conditions.
That dynamic makes inspections considerably more difficult. Experts explain that clandestine operators can easily change addresses, business names, or online accounts whenever complaints arise or authorities begin investigations. In some cases, centers shut down after inspections only to reopen shortly afterward under a different identity.
Health sector specialists also warn that local authorities frequently lack the personnel and operational capacity necessary to supervise the growing number of businesses linked to Colombia’s booming beauty and wellness industry. Oversight often becomes reactive instead of preventive, meaning investigations intensify only after a death, severe complication, or criminal complaint captures public attention.
Experts further caution that the real dimension of the crisis is likely much larger than official numbers suggest because many complications are never formally reported. Some patients avoid filing complaints after unsafe procedures, while others reach private agreements or seek corrective treatment elsewhere without initiating legal action.
The challenge for authorities remains complex. Colombia’s healthcare oversight system involves multiple institutions, including local health secretariats and national regulatory entities. However, critics argue that limited inspection capacity, bureaucratic delays, and fragmented enforcement mechanisms have allowed clandestine clinics to survive with relative ease.
Some establishments reportedly reopen after being shut down, while others continue operating despite previous sanctions or complaints. In other cases, illegal operators simply migrate to new digital platforms or continue offering procedures privately through referrals and social media contacts.
Even though Colombia is internationally recognized for having highly qualified plastic surgeons and respected medical institutions, experts warn that the persistence of “garage clinics” threatens to damage that reputation globally.
Beyond Yulixa, a national public health warning
Although the Yulixa Toloza case captured national attention because of its shocking details, many experts insist that Colombia should not treat it as a singular tragedy. Instead, they argue it reflects a broader public health crisis that has persisted for years beneath the surface of the country’s booming aesthetic industry.
Every new death linked to cosmetic procedures follows a familiar cycle: public outrage, viral headlines, institutional promises and renewed calls for stricter controls. But once media attention fades, the structural conditions enabling these operations often remain unchanged.
Families of victims frequently describe similar patterns: Suspiciously low prices, promises of “safe” and painless procedures, aggressive online advertising, and inadequate post-operative care. In many cases, patients reportedly discover too late that the person performing the intervention lacked the required medical qualifications or that the clinic itself was operating illegally.
Yulixa’s case has once again brought to light that the problem requires more than criminal investigations after deaths occur. Colombia needs a much broader institutional response focused on prevention, education, and rigorous enforcement.
That includes more frequent inspections, stronger sanctions against illegal operators, public databases allowing patients to verify certified professionals, and better coordination between health care authorities and law enforcement agencies.
But another front that also plays an important role amid this public health issue is digital platforms, which should assume greater responsibility regarding the promotion of invasive cosmetic procedures. The growing normalization of surgeries through influencer culture and algorithm-driven beauty trends has contributed to a climate where aesthetics is increasingly commercialized while medical risks remain minimized.
For many Colombians, the conversation surrounding Yulixa Toloza is no longer only about one failed procedure. It has become a broader reflection on institutional responsibility, public safety, and the dangerous consequences of allowing illegal aesthetic medicine to operate unchecked. The tragedy exposed something many already suspected: Colombia’s “garage clinics” never disappeared; they simply remain invisible until another life is lost.