SHUT down rogue butt lift clinics and let only qualified doctors do them, leading surgeons have warned.
The Joint Council of Cosmetic Practitioners issued the appeal on Thursday following the death of a 33-year-old British mum in September following a malignant BBL.
Brazilian butt lifts, also known as buttock augmentation, involve injecting fat or filler into the buttock to shape it.
But the wrong injection too deep in the buttock can draw chemicals into the bloodstream and cause fatal clots, infections or sepsis.
They can also go wrong if the anesthetic is soft or people have allergies.
Two people have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after mum-of-five Alice Webb, from Gloucestershire, died in September following complications from the procedure.
He became the first person to die this way in Britain, although others have suffered fatal ordeals after surgery abroad.
UK regulation is relaxed as they can be considered ‘non-surgical’ and untrained beauticians can get the kit to do them.
The lack of regulation for unlicensed practitioners puts people’s health at serious risk, especially with butt fillers
Elaine Sassoon
The JCCP said BBLs should be classified as surgical procedures and strictly controlled so that only certified, registered and experienced plastic surgeons he can do them.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, which only recently ended a four-year appeal to members not to have the procedure at all, co-signed the report.
The Sun called on ministers to tighten regulations on fillers and cosmetic surgery in our Had Our Fill campaign.
BAAPS board member Elaine Sassoon said: “The cosmetics sector faces a lack of regulation for unlicensed practitioners.
“This puts people’s health at serious risk, especially with BBL buttock fillers.
“While expert surgeons follow safety guidelines, untrained individuals can inject unsafe products bought in bulk in uncontrolled settings.”
The report said the same rules should apply to any operations on the genitals or breasts.
He said: “These procedures should only be carried out by suitably trained plastic surgeons and fully qualified GPs registered with the General Medical Council who hold additional qualifications and have proven competence.”
The tragic mom said she didn’t need a job
Alice Webb, a professional esthetician herself, had traveled to a training course where she would learn how to perform the procedure before doing her own.
But officers 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 24 September.
Tragedy struck after her cousin, Diana Webb, told her she didn’t 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 long time before she went in for the procedure.
“She had told me she was going to do that and I said she didn’t need to – she already looked beautiful.
“And she was amazing in her own right.
“We were on the phone for two hours before he left. Alice said they seemed really professional and helped her through the process.
“He wasn’t one of those people who would go and do something without looking at the smallest detail first, obviously because he worked in the industry as well.
“Alice put her heart into her work.
“He took every class he could, including this one, because he wanted to make sure he got everything right.”
Diana said her family would demand the government ban injections of BBL fluid to make sure Alice’s death was “the first and last” on British shores.
A Department of Health spokesman said: “Our deepest sympathies are with Alice’s family and friends in this tragic case, which is incredibly worrying.
“Patient safety is paramount and we would urge anyone considering cosmetic surgery to consider the potential health implications and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.
“Work is ongoing to explore options regarding oversight of the non-surgical cosmetic 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, rounder 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 travel to countries such as Turkey or seek unregistered surgeons in the UK and are not fully informed of the risks.
BBLs carry the highest risk of all cosmetic procedures – with more than one death occurring per 4,000 procedures.
Because of celebrities undergoing such procedures, many women hope to emulate their appearance.
Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Anu Sayal-Bennett, Chartered Fellow of the British Psychological Society, said the BBC: “Despite the fact that there is so much about body positivity, there are pressures on women—and men, too—to look a certain way.”
Many people travel abroad for the procedure because it is cheaper and the advertising is “terribly seductive”, coupled with the idea of a beach holiday, Dr Sayal-Bennett added.
