People are being warned to avoid “bargain basement” Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedures in the run-up to Christmas – no matter how “tempting” they look.
Prospective players are being lured by low-priced all-inclusive packages that include 25% discounts along with hotels and flights for under £3,000.
But NHS chief medical officer Professor Sir Stephen Powis said that while they are “tempting offers”, the reality is that “these bargain basement cosmetic procedures are potentially deadly”.
It comes after a spate of deaths and medical complications resulting from botched surgeries, with the health service regularly having to treat patients when they return home.
Earlier this month, an inquest heard how a mum-of-three died after being put through a catalog of poor care when she had ‘Brazilian butt lift’ surgery in Turkey.
Demi Agoglia, 26, from Salford, Greater Manchester, is said to have been ‘conscious about her appearance’ and insisted on having the BBL procedure, which sees fat taken from elsewhere on the body and injected into hips and buttocks.
He died in an Istanbul hospital on January 8, just three days after the operation.
Bolton Coroner John Pollard ruled the medical cause of death was a tiny fat embolism in which tissue leaks into the bloodstream.
BBL surgery has the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures, as the fat injected into the buttocks can lead to a pulmonary embolism, which is a blockage in a blood vessel in the lungs that can be fatal.
Other serious side effects include skin infection, cellulitis, and massive scarring around the surgery area.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has advised its members not to have BBL surgery, which the NHS says has increased the risk of people undergoing unsafe procedures abroad.
The health service said overseas clinics have been at the forefront of failed cosmetic operations in recent years, with BBL surgery “costing up to 70% less than in the UK”.
Sir Stephen said: “At a time when NHS staff have never been busier, the last thing they need is patients turning up on their doorstep with medical complications after a BBL from an unregulated overseas surgeon.
“While many people’s social media feeds will be full of tempting offers in the run-up to Christmas, the reality is that these bargain basement cosmetic surgeries are potentially deadly.
“BBLs have the highest mortality rate of all these treatments and it is often left to the NHS to repair the damage and the taxpayer to foot the bill.
“The NHS will always be there for those who need it, but it must not be left to deal with the consequences of faulty BBLs.”
Minister for Health (Secondary Care), Karin Smyth, added: “For too long, cowboy clinics have caused untold harm to people seeking an unrealistic, ‘beach-perfect’ body.
“I am determined to protect people and the NHS and will soon outline plans to crack down on these rogue operators in the UK.
“I encourage anyone considering any cosmetic procedure, whether at home or abroad, to do your research. Find a safe, reliable and trustworthy professional. If it feels too good to be true, then it probably is. A cheap deal is not worth risking your life for.’
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