British surgeons told to STOP performing Brazilian bum lifts – as second Brit dies from ‘deadliest cosmetic op’
COSMETIC surgeons have called for a ban on Brazilian bum lifts in the UK - following the death of a second British woman.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) has today asked it's members to stop performing the ops until more research on the dangers of the procedure can be done.
It comes as a second British woman died after having the op, prompting warnings it's the most dangerous cosmetic procedure in the world.
Bum lifts are one of the most popular procedures across the world, thanks to the rise in popularity of celebs like Towie star Lauren Goodger, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.
In August mum-of-three Leah Cambridge died during a botched Brazilian bum lift in Turkey.
A second British woman also died this year and an inquest into the second woman's death is set to begin next year, according to the
There has been a six-fold increase in the number of patients needing urgent follow-up care after botched overseas ops since 2013, according to new research presented at Baaps annual scientific meeting today.
The cause – cheap surgeries and celebrities endorsing the cosmetic ops, plastic surgeons said.
The association is not a regulatory body, so cannot enforce a ban, but has asked all members to stop performing the ops until they can be deemed safe.
All but one case deemed “major” by the NHS were for Brazilian bum lifts.
On average, patients needing urgent aftercare following botched ops stay on hospital wards for 20 days and cost the NHS £32,500.
Complications from the procedure ranged from severe bacterial infections including hospital superbugs MRSA and pseudomonas, necrosis (tissue death), scarring, wound ruptures and abscesses.
One patient contracted the “flesh eating” infection necrotising fasciitis which cost the NHS £47,000 to treat.
The controversial procedure involves taking fat from other parts of the body and injecting it into the bum to make it bigger.
But it's a risky procedure, causing around one in 3,000 deaths worldwide as a result of complications from the surgery.
Lead author Mohammed Farid, a junior trainee in plastic and reconstructive surgery, said: “As a trainee, it’s been staggering to see the lengths – and the damage – these patients will go through in the quest for cheaper options.
“I remember in one procedure, we found a piece of latex which had been left inside the patient’s buttock.
“This was one of the most shocking moments in my career, and the one that inspired me to conduct the study.”
Cosmetic surgeons also reported an increase in botched ops at the beginning of each year, thanks to the "new year, new me" attitude.
Simon Withey, consultant plastic surgeon and Baaps president, added: "People are experiencing a rude awakening when they arrive back on British shores, many disappointed, and some desperately ill.
"Surgery is simply not something you can return at the January sales, and it should never be tied to seasonal discounts and incentives.
"Crucially, the Brazilian buttock lift is a complex technique, and its death rate is the highest for any aesthetic procedure.
"So far, all Brazilian buttock lift deaths seem to stem from injecting fat into veins, causing emboli (blockage of a blood vessel) to travel to the heart or lungs.
"However, at the BAAPS we will go a step further and recommend that all surgeons refrain from performing these procedures until we have more proven data."
THE 'DEADLIEST COSMETIC PROCEDURE' IN THE WORLD
BRAZILIAN bum lifts are the "deadliest cosmetic procedure", a top surgeon has warned.
The controversial op involves taking fat from other areas of the body and injecting it into the glutes and bum to make them bigger.
But, if it's not done correctly, it can cause serious problems, Professor for aesthetic surgery Jim Frame from Anglia Ruskin University warned.
"To be successful, a fat graft needs nutrition and so has to be injected into tissue that has a blood supply," Prof Frame said.
"Fat has more chance of staying in place if it is inserted into muscle – but this is where the risk lies.
"Injecting fat into the buttocks can easily lead to serious problems if done incorrectly. These include a fat embolism, when fat enters the bloodstream and blocks a blood vessel.
"In the lungs, for example, it blocks oxygen from entering the bloodstream, while in the brain it can cause a stroke – both can be fatal."
Cheap overseas clinics are contributing to a rise in deaths from having the procedure, Prof Frame, a senior consultant surgeon at Springfield Hospital, Chelmsford, said.
Last year a survey of 692 surgeons from across the world found 32 patients had died from a condition called a fat embolism - where the injected fat travels to other parts of the body that it shouldn't.
""Most of these deaths appear to have been caused by inappropriately qualified practitioners working in non-approved facilities, including homes and garages," he added.
"Other post-surgery problems, such as gangrene and sepsis, can also be fatal."
The association has previously warned people are putting themselves at risk by opting for cheap ops offered overseas.
Last year a survey of 692 surgeons from across the world found 32 patients had died from a condition called a fat embolism - where the injected fat travels to other parts of the body that it shouldn't.
There were also 103 non-fatal cases, but there are probably many more that remain unreported, professor for aesthetic surgery Jim Frame, a consultant at Springfield Hospital, Chelmsford, wrote for
Beautician Leah was at the Elite Aftercare clinic in Izmir for the Brazilian butt lift, made famous by US reality TV star Kim Kardashian.
Its website says it has done plastic surgery for Towie stars Lauren Goodger and Amber Dowding and Geordie Shore’s Chloe Ferry.
"A vulnerable group of patients are openly being targeted through social media and the web to travel abroad for cheaper cosmetic surgery – and this trend is likely to rise," Simon added.
"The outcome of having these operations away from home can be devastating.
"It’s not just medical history than needs evaluating, but also mental health screening, which we take very seriously at the BAAPS."
It's not just dodgy clinics abroad patients need to watch out for.
Doctors have warned of a rise in black market ops in countries like the UK and US - and you can't guarantee the safety of the ingredients injected into your bum.
Cost can be 70% cheaper
COSMETIC procedures in Turkey are advertised at prices more than 70 per cent cheaper than here.
Face and neck lifts in the country can cost as little as £2,640, against around £4,500 in Britain.
Boob jobs at one Turkish clinic are on offer for £2,725 compared with £5,500 at home.
The packages include consultations with the surgeon, the op, anaesthetist and hospital fees, medication and post-operative check-ups abroad.
And clinics say they can book flights, accommodation and transfer for as little as ten per cent of the treatment cost.
A hair transplant is priced at upwards of £12,000 in the UK, putting it out of reach for most Brits. But the cost in Turkey can be £1,500.
Botched foreign cosmetic surgery procedures have cost the NHS about £30million since 2013.
There have been horror cases of silicone oil, tyre fluid and even cement being injected into the muscle in a bid to make bums bigger.
A recent documentary, which aired in the US, called Killer Curves: Bodies to Die For looked at cases of women who have put their lives on the line using cheap ops.
It found injections used were often incredibly dangerous, and despite being peddled as being comprised of “saline”, often contained mineral oil, tire fluid and even cement.
Prof Ash Mosahebi, honorary secretary of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons’ (BAAPS), said most patients either opt for cheap injections or implants to boost their bum.
"If they are having injections then god knows what they are being injected with, if it is safe,or if it is sterile," he told The Sun Online.
MORE ON COSMETIC SURGERY
"If you look at the procedures done off the back of a street they aren’t done by qualified doctors, it’s about making a quick buck.
"But then who knows what will happen to the patient afterwards.
"Oil, for example, does make it it look bigger for a few days but then it deflates and it’s likely infection like sepsis can kick in.
"I know of silicone oil being used, which shouldn’t be used for medical purposes.
"I’ve heard of cement but I haven’t seen it myself, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s things like that."
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