Weight Loss Surgery in Mexico. 2,000+ Cases in Cancún. All Verifiable.
ASMBS, ACS, and IFSO member. CMCOEM board-certified. The aftercare team is named. WhatsApp the surgeon directly, 24/7. No coordinator. No bait-and-switch pricing.
Any surgeon can show you a wall of logos. I'm giving you the number and the registry that holds it, so you can check me before you message me — not after. ASMBS, ACS and IFSO are the same bodies that credential bariatric surgeons in the United States. I belong to all three.
Training
UNAMHigh Specialty in Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery Centro Médico Nacional 20 de Noviembre, ISSSTE — the highest-volume specialty bariatric program in Mexico's federal system2023–2024
Médica SurResidency in General Surgery Hospital Médica Sur, Mexico City2019–2023
La SalleM.D. — Doctor of Medicine Universidad La Salle, Facultad Mexicana de Medicina2011–2017
Licenses & board certification
CESpecialty license Mexico's federal license to practice a medical specialty, issued by SEP. Public record.14247260 · Verify ↗
CPMedical license Mexico's federal license to practice medicine, issued by SEP. Public record.11031853 · Verify ↗
CBBoard certification in bariatric surgery Mexican Board of Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery (CMCOEM) — searchable list of certified surgeonsCB240071 · Verify ↗
Active memberships
ASMBSAmerican Society for Metabolic and Bariatric SurgeryActive International Member
IFSOInternational Federation for the Surgery of ObesityMX102 · Verify ↗
ACSAmerican College of Surgeons
CMCOEMMexican Board of Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery · Consejo Mexicano de Cirugía de Obesidad y Enfermedades Metabólicas
AMCGMexican Association of General Surgery · Asociación Mexicana de Cirugía General
AMCEMexican Association of Endoscopic Surgery · Asociación Mexicana de Cirugía Endoscópica
CMCGMexican College of General Surgery · Colegio Mexicano de Cirugía General
300+ verified reviews · here are 3
Three of three hundred.
I have 300+ verified reviews on Doctoralia and Google. Here are three. The originals are in Spanish — I've translated them, and kept the Spanish visible so you can verify the translation against the source.
5.0 on Google
"Excellent surgeon. The procedure went very well, the recovery was excellent, attentive throughout. I recommend him without reservation."
— Diana V. · verified Doctoralia review
Original: "Excelente médico, la intervención fue muy buena, la recuperación excelente, muy al pendiente en todo momento. Lo recomiendo ampliamente."
"Outstanding service from the doctor. Excellent explanation in the consultation. New-generation equipment."
— H.I.V.M. · verified Doctoralia review
Original: "Estupendo servicio del Doctor, muy buena explicación en el consultorio, equipo de nueva generación."
"He gave me complete confidence from the first consultation. Always attentive in follow-up, before and after the surgery."
— Yanneri M. · verified Doctoralia review
Original: "Me dio mucha confianza desde la primera consulta. Siempre atento en el seguimiento antes y después de la cirugía."
Real transformations. Shown with each patient's consent.
These are my patients. No retouching, no filters, and every person agreed to have their photos shown. Treat them as a reference, not a promise — your result depends on your case, your procedure, and your follow-up.
−95 lb43 kg
−101 lb46 kg
−90 lb41 kg
Real patients who consented to share their unaltered photos. Individual results vary and are not typical of every patient; no result is guaranteed. Board-certified surgeon — CMCOEM CB240071 · Mexican licenses CE 14247260 / CP 11031853 · COFEPRIS 2523022002A00001.
Filmed at Hospital Joya during recovery and follow-up. Every clip is subtitled in English. Tap a story to play it.
"I highly recommend both, the doctor and hospital"
"I recommend him with all my heart"
"…but excellent"
"…the care from Dr. Lomelí and his team"
Dr. Christian Duarte K. — colleague
Why Mexico, why Cancún
You are choosing a country, then a city. Here is what Cancún gives you.
If you are searching from the US, the first decision is Mexico and the second is where in Mexico. These are the facts on my side of that decision — all of them checkable before you book a flight.
Getting here, and getting home
You fly into CUN. Direct flights from roughly 90% of US hubs. You recover at your hotel, minutes from the Caribbean, and by Day 3 or 4 most patients are out for short, slow visits to the beach.
Minimum 3-day stay before I clear you to fly home. That call is medical, not budgetary — if you need another day, you stay.
Where the operating happens
Three private hospitals in Cancún: Hospital Joya in the hotel zone, Hospital Amerimed and Hospital Galenia downtown.
Each is a private surgical hospital with ICU and 24/7 emergency capacity. The credentials behind them are in the next section — all public, all verifiable before you message me.
Why I came back here
I trained in General Surgery at Hospital Médica Sur in Mexico City, then took the High Specialty in Bariatric & Metabolic Surgery at UNAM, Centro Médico Nacional 20 de Noviembre — the highest-volume specialty bariatric program in Mexico's federal system.
I came back to Cancún because the standard of care here fits what I was trained to deliver.
Aftercare doesn't stay in Cancún
Once you are home, follow-up is virtual with a named team: Isabel Murra and Mercedes Rullán for nutrition, Adriana Palacios for bariatric psychology — plus structured six-month and one-year check-ins.
WhatsApp stays open to me at any hour, from wherever you flew in from.
Is bariatric surgery in Cancún safe? Here's how to know — without asking me.
Every page in this category promises safety. Most don't tell you how to check. So here is who would be in the room with you, what you can verify yourself before you book, and how my hospitals are set up if anything goes off script.
Hospitals where I operate
Three private hospitals in Cancún and two in Mexico City. Hospital Joya Cancún sits in the hotel zone, minutes from the Caribbean. Hospital Amerimed Cancún and Hospital Galenia Cancún are downtown. In CDMX: Hospital Médica Sur — where I trained — and Hospital Ángeles Universidad.
Each is a private surgical hospital with ICU and 24/7 emergency capacity. Not a clinic. Not a same-day suite.
Credentials you can verify
ASMBS, IFSO and ACS member. CMCOEM board-certified in bariatric surgery. Two Mexican federal licenses, both public records.
Every one of those numbers — with the registry that holds it and the training years behind it — is listed earlier on this page, each with a link that opens the registry itself.
ASMBS member surgeons commit to standard quality monitoring. If you ask me what mine look like for the procedure you're considering, I'll tell you. Most surgeons won't.
If you message me, you can ask first.
If something goes wrong
Each hospital where I operate has ICU and 24/7 emergency capacity. If escalation is ever needed, we coordinate the protocol case by case. The continuity comes from me, not a team handoff.
If you're home and something feels off, message me. I answer.
Every bariatric-tourism page promises easy travel. Few say what actually happens, from your first message to the year-mark. Here is the shape — not a script, because no two patients land on the same day with the same labs.
Before you fly
You message me on WhatsApp. We exchange your medical history, current weight, height, and any prior abdominal surgeries — over WhatsApp, voice notes if it's faster. I send you a procedure recommendation, a written quote, and your prep instructions: labs you do at home, what to stop, what to pack.
Arrival in Cancún
You fly into CUN. Direct flights from roughly 90% of US cities. You check into the hotel you booked. Light prescribed meal. Rest.
Pre-op
At the hospital: bloodwork, ECG, anesthesia consult with Gonzalo Guajardo, cardiology clearance with Sharon Valencia. Then you and I sit down face to face and confirm the plan.
Surgery and first night
You sleep the night of surgery in the hospital. Vitals, walks, fluids. I round on you.
Recovery in Cancún
Discharged from the hospital to your hotel. Daily WhatsApp check-ins from me. By Day 3 or 4 most patients are out for short, slow visits to the beach. Minimum 3-day stay before clearance to fly home — non-negotiable.
Clearance to fly
Final post-op review with me. If you're cleared, you fly. If you need another day, you stay. The decision is medical, not budgetary.
Aftercare, at home
Virtual follow-ups with my aftercare team: Isabel Murra and Mercedes Rullán for nutrition, Adriana Palacios for bariatric psychology. WhatsApp is still open to me at any hour. La cirugía no termina cuando sales del quirófano — surgery doesn't end when you leave the OR.
Six-month + one-year
Structured check-ins. Video, or in person if you're traveling back. We compare your trajectory against where most patients are at the same milestone. If something's off, we adjust.
Nine procedures. One surgeon. Pick yours and message me directly.
I won't recommend a procedure I wouldn't choose for my own family. Each of these fits a specific patient profile. Tap the one you're considering — your message goes straight to me with the procedure attached, so you don't have to repeat yourself.
Laparoscopic resection of ~75–80% of the stomach. The remaining "sleeve" restricts intake and quiets hunger hormones. 1–2 nights in the hospital. Most common for BMI 30+ without severe reflux.
Small gastric pouch with Roux limb, two anastomoses. Classic gastric bypass for severe obesity with metabolic comorbidities — type 2 diabetes, severe reflux. Standard recovery 6–8 weeks.
Single-anastomosis variant of gastric bypass. Shorter operative time than Roux-en-Y. For bypass candidates whose anatomy or risk profile prefers fewer connections.
Sleeve gastrectomy combined with a single ileal anastomosis. Preserves natural pyloric flow. Indicated for complex metabolic profiles needing both restriction and an intestinal effect.
Revisional surgery after a prior bariatric procedure that didn't deliver — inadequate weight loss, regain, or complications. I see every case before I quote one.
Financing — what to expect if you're coming from the US.
US insurance almost never covers bariatric surgery in Mexico. Some plans reimburse a portion if you submit the paperwork afterward, but treat that as a possibility, not a plan. The pricing on this page works for a US patient paying out of pocket.
For US patients, I work with HEVA (heva.co). They pay me directly for the surgery and bill you monthly. The setup is per-patient — we don't pre-approve a partnership; we set up your financing case by case as part of the quote conversation.
If pesos make more sense for your case, my long-time financing partner is Mend. Six to 24 months at 2.5% per month. Minimum financeable amount: $20,000 MXN.
Send me your weight, height, age, prior abdominal surgeries, and current medical conditions. I'll send back a procedure recommendation, an itemized quote, and the financing route that fits your case. No deposit to get the quote. No deposit until you've decided. First contact is free. The conversation is confidential. And I'll tell you the truth.
What a quote from me covers — and what it doesn't.
I don't publish a single price because no two cases are priced the same. Here is what a quote always covers, and what it doesn't. So you can compare apples to apples.
What's included
Surgeon fee (mine)
Hospital stay (room, nursing, ICU access if needed)
Anesthesia with Gonzalo Guajardo
Pre-operative cardiology clearance with Sharon Valencia
In-hospital medications and supplies
Virtual follow-ups with the named aftercare team — Isabel Murra and Mercedes Rullán (nutrition), Adriana Palacios (bariatric psychology)
WhatsApp access to me directly through your recovery
What's not included
International airfare to and from CUN
Hotel stay in Cancún (I recommend trusted hotels; you book directly)
Driver to and from the airport (I recommend trusted drivers; you book directly)
The number you message is mine. You are talking to the person who will operate on you.
You have probably read the warnings about medical tourism: you message an agency, a coordinator quotes you, and you meet the surgeon for the first time in pre-op. There is no coordinator between us. You write, I read it, I answer — including at 10pm, and before you have paid me anything.
Bariatric surgery is not a procedure you buy. It is a six-month relationship between you and your surgeon — before, during, and above all after. The operation is the short part.
There is a full team behind me — anesthesia, cardiology, nutrition, bariatric psychology — and you will meet all of them. But the WhatsApp thread stays mine. No script. No handoff.
I came back to Cancún because patients here were not getting the care I was trained to deliver. Today I operate in five accredited hospitals — three in Cancún, two in Mexico City — and I have walked more than 350 bariatric patients through this. Every license and board certification behind that is a public record, and I would rather you check it than take my word.
— Dr. David Lomelí Reyes
The team · everyone is named
A bariatric operation is not one person. Here is everyone you get.
Anesthesia, cardiology, nutrition, bariatric psychology. You meet every one of them before you go into the OR — and the second group is still with you long after you have flown home.
Surgical team · the day of your operation
Dr. David Lomelí Reyes
Lead surgeon
Bariatric & metabolic surgery · trained at UNAM · CE 14247260
Gonzalo Guajardo
Anesthesiology
Sharon Valencia
Cardiology · echocardiogram
Aftercare team · the months that come after
Other programs send you home with a pamphlet. I send you home with a team.
Isabel Murra
Clinical nutrition
Mercedes Rullán
Clinical nutrition
Adriana Palacios
Bariatric psychology
Where I operate
Five hospitals. Pick the one that fits your trip.
Three in Cancún — one in the hotel zone, two downtown. Two in Mexico City. Same surgeon. Same team. Same protocols.
Cancún · three hospitals
Cancún · Hotel Zone
Hospital Joya Cancún
Blvd. Kukulcán Km 13, Zona Hotelera Consulting room 14 Three minutes from the water.
Depends entirely on who's operating and where. The right question is "who is this surgeon, where do they operate, and what can I verify before I get on a plane." My CMCOEM bariatric certification CB240071 is public — verifiable at cmcoem.info. My Mexican government licenses (Specialty CE 14247260, Medical CP 11031853) are public — verifiable at cedulaprofesional.sep.gob.mx. The hospitals I operate at are private surgical facilities with ICU and 24/7 emergency capacity. I'm a member of ASMBS, IFSO, and ACS — the same international and American bodies that credential US bariatric surgeons. Look up everything before you message me. Then decide.
What if there's an emergency while I'm in Cancún?
You stay where you had surgery — Joya, Amerimed, or Galenia. Each has ICU and a 24/7 emergency department. I'm reachable from wherever I am. If escalation is needed, we coordinate the protocol case by case. The continuity of care is the point. The continuity comes from me, not a team handoff.
Can I bring a companion?
Yes. Most patients do, especially for the first 48 hours at the hotel after discharge. The logistics — extra flight, where they stay, their meals — vary by case. Message me and we'll plan it together.
How does virtual follow-up actually work?
WhatsApp to me at any hour. Scheduled video calls with the aftercare team — Isabel Murra and Mercedes Rullán for nutrition, Adriana Palacios for bariatric psychology — on a cadence that matches your procedure. You send me your weight reading, your labs, photos of anything that looks off, voice notes if it's faster. I read everything. I answer everything.
Can I get revision surgery from you if my original surgery was elsewhere?
Yes. Many of my revision patients had their original surgery in the US, Tijuana, or another Mexican city. Send me your operative report from the first surgery, your current weight and labs, and any imaging you have. I'll tell you what's feasible and what isn't. Some revisions are straightforward. Some aren't possible. I won't pretend either way.
Why don't you publish prices?
Because no two cases are priced the same. A sleeve for a healthy BMI 35 patient is not priced the same as a revision after a failed band. Anyone who quotes you a single price for "gastric sleeve" sight-unseen is either guessing or hiding what the real number becomes once they see your case. I quote you in writing, within 24 hours of seeing your medical history. The quote is the quote.
Why Cancún and not Tijuana?
Both are real medical cities. The difference is the recovery experience. Cancún has direct flights from roughly 90% of US hubs. The hospitals where I operate are private surgical facilities, not border-town clinics built for high volume. Your recovery happens minutes from the Caribbean, not on a strip mall. I trained at UNAM — Mexico's highest-volume specialty bariatric program — and I came back to Cancún because the standard of care fits what I was trained to deliver.
How fast can you actually reply to a WhatsApp message?
Most messages get a reply from me within an hour. Some come back within minutes. As I tell every patient who asks: yo te contesto WhatsApp a las 10pm. If I'm in the OR, you might wait two or three hours — but you'll hear from me, not from a team. That's the entire point of giving you my number.
First contact is free. The conversation is confidential. I'll tell you the truth.
Send me your weight, height, and what you're considering. I'll send back a recommendation and a quote within 24 hours.
— Dr. David Lomelí Reyes
