A plastic surgeon has revealed there is one procedure they would never do, warning people each injection puts them “one step away from intensive care”.
According to surveys, around one in 10 adults in the United Kingdom has undergone some form of cosmetic procedures. Women are more likely than men to consider a procedure, with 93% of plastic surgeries in 2022 conducted on women.
Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons show there were 25,972 surgeries carried out between 2022 and 2023. The figures show over 1,000 people took part in a fat transfer, often used to increase the size of a body part.
One of the most common types is known as the Brazilian bum lift – or BBL – which involves taking from one area and injecting it into the bottom. It can cost £8,000.
It has seen many people swapping for the liquid BBL, which uses large volumes of filler rather than fat used to give the same effect. It costs as little as £200 however, reports The Telegraph.
Consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon Ash Soni has performed more than 3,000 operations during his career. He says he refuses to offer the liquid BBL due to the associated risks.
He explained: “It would be easy for me to do this procedure, but I’ve consciously decided not to. A lot of care must be taken regarding the buttocks because of the complex anatomy of the area.”
The buttocks contain large veins and blood vessels, some as wide as a drinking straw. It means fat or filler accidentally injected into a vessel can rapidly reach the heart, lungs, or brain, which would have fatal consequences.
Dr Mervyn Patterson told the Telegraph: “With every injection you are one step away from an intensive care unit. I wouldn’t dream of doing this procedure.”
In 2018, BAAPS told its members to stop offering the BBL due to “high death rates”. In 2022, it issued guidance to members saying fat should only be grafted into the bottom superficially, and under ultrasound guidance to avoid the veins – the procedure is known as Superficial Gluteal Lipofilling.
The liquid BBL has made headlines recently after mother-of-five Alice Webb reportedly underwent a procedure before dying in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Two people have since been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
Ashton Collins, director of campaign group Save Face, said: “Liquid BBL procedures are a crisis waiting to happen. They are advertised on social media as ‘risk-free’, ‘cheaper’ alternatives to the surgical counterpart and that could not be further from the truth.
“We have supported over 500 women who have suffered complications because of these treatments, many of which have nearly died. Over 50% of the cases reported to us contracted sepsis and 39% needed corrective surgery.
“All of the procedures reported to us were carried out by non-healthcare practitioners who are carrying out incredibly dangerous procedures in unsterile environments. I would advise anyone considering one of these treatments to avoid them at all costs.”
