CRACKDOWN
Urgent call to shut down ‘rogue BBL clinics’ after mum, 33, becomes first in UK to die from dodgy op
The injections can be deadly when badly performed
SHUT down rogue butt-lift clinics and only let qualified doctors do them, top surgeons have warned.
The Joint Council of Cosmetic Practitioners issued the plea on Thursday after a 33-year-old Brit mum died in September following a botched BBL.
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Brazilian butt-lifts, also known as buttock augmentation procedures, involve injecting fat or filler into the bum to shape it.
But wrongly injecting too deep into the buttock can pump chemicals into the bloodstream and cause deadly clots, infections or sepsis.
They can also go wrong if the anaesthetic is bungled or people have allergies.
Two people were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after mum-of-five Alice Webb, from Gloucestershire, died in September following complications of the procedure.
Read more on BBL risks
She became the first person to die this way in Britain, although others have suffered fatal ordeals after surgery abroad.
UK regulation is lax as they can be considered “non-surgical” and untrained beauticians can get the kit to do them.
A lack of regulation for unlicensed medical practitioners puts people's health at serious risk, particularly with buttock fillers
Elaine Sassoon
The JCCP said BBLs must be classified as surgical procedures and strictly controlled so that only qualified, registered and experienced can do them.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, which only recently ended a four-year plea for members not to do the procedure at all, co-signed the report.
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The Sun has called on ministers to tighten regulation of fillers and cosmetic procedures in our Had Our Fill campaign.
Elaine Sassoon, a member of the BAAPS council, said: “The cosmetic sector faces a lack of regulation for unlicensed medical practitioners.
“This puts people’s health at serious risk, particularly with buttock fillers for BBL.
“While specialist surgeons follow safety guidelines, untrained individuals can inject unsafe, bulk-purchased products in unregulated settings.”
The report said the same rules should be applied to any procedures on the genitals or breasts.
It said: “These procedures should only be performed by appropriately trained specialist plastic surgeons and fully qualified General Medical Council registered medical doctors who possess additional qualifications and have proven competence.”
Tragic mum told she didn't need work done
Alice Webb, herself an aesthetic practitioner, had travelled to a training session where she would learn how to perform the procedure before having her own done.
But cops rushed to a house at around 11.30pm that night after the alarm was raised, with ambulances already at the scene.
Alice was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Infirmary but died in the early hours of Tuesday, September 24.
The tragedy happened after her cousin, Dianna Webb, told her she did not need the procedure.
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A tearful Dianna, who calls herself Alice’s “second mum” as she helped raise her, told The Sun: “We had talked about it a lot before she went to have the procedure.
“She had told me she was going to have this done and I said she didn’t need it - she already looked beautiful.
“And she was stunning on her own.
“We were on the phone for two hours before she went. Alice said they seemed really professional and put her at ease about the procedure.
“She was not one of these people that would go and just have something done without looking at every little detail first, obviously because she worked in the industry too.
“Alice put her heart into her work.
"She took every course she could take, including this one, because she wanted to make sure she got everything right.”
Dianna said her family would demand the government ban liquid BBL injections to make sure Alice’s death was “the first and the last” on British shores.
A Department of Health spokesperson said: “Our deepest sympathies are with Alice’s family and friends in this tragic case, which is incredibly concerning.
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“The safety of patients is paramount, and we would urge anyone considering a cosmetic procedure to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured, and qualified practitioner.
“Work is ongoing to explore options around oversight of the non-surgical cosmetics sector and we will provide an update at the earliest opportunity.”
What are Brazilian Bum Lifts and why are they so popular?
Buttock enlargement surgery - known as a Brazilian bum-lift (BBL) - is used to make the bum look bigger, rounded and lifted.
Surgeons transfer fat, inject filler or insert silicone-filled implants.
It is the fastest growing cosmetic procedure but also one of the most dangerous, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).
Many patients are travelling to the likes of Turkey or seeking out unregistered surgeons in the UK and are not given full information on the risks.
BBLs carry the highest risk of all cosmetic surgeries - with more than one death occurring per 4,000 procedures.
Due to celebrities undergoing such ops, many women are hoping to emulate their looks.
Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Anu Sayal-Bennett, a chartered member of the British Psychological Society, told : "Despite there being so much about body positivity, there are pressures for women - and men too - to look a certain way."
Many people travel abroad for the procedure because it is cheaper and advertising is "terribly seductive", combined with the idea of a beach holiday, added Dr Sayal-Bennett.
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