. >> reporter: nene leeks and larsa pippen, on the hunt for the best bargain. search lead eds them outside the u.s. >> i think my tummy tuck procedure in mexico, i added it up. i spent about $5,000. here it would have been about $18,000. >> reporter: but cheap doesn't always mean safe. can you explain what fungal meningitis is? >> think about a dime-sized or quarter-sized lesion eating into the substance of the brain. eating it. >> reporter: now a lethal fungal infection is putting dozens of women in danger, and the cdc and the world health organization are sounding the alarm. >> what we're seeing more in this outbreak than anything else is women -- this is part of the phenomenon of medical tourism. these are severe, life-threatening infections. >> reporter: at least six american women have died. all after plastic surgery in mexico. this entire outbreak appears to be a symptom of a much bigger problem, an entire industry rife with loopholes, leaving patients vulnerable. so is looking good really worth the risk? is this something that could happen in the u.s.? >