Beautician pleads guilty for botched buttock surgeries

Former self-professed beautician, Ana Bertha Diaz Hernandez, has pleaded guilty for performing “reckless” buttock injections on almost a dozen customers in an attempt to enhance their features, even though she was unlicensed.

Hernandez reportedly made around £31,000 for what she called “lamb’s fat” injections. She allegedly smuggled in the unapproved substance from Mexico to inject into her clients’ buttocks to make them bigger. The court heard how Fernandez was aware of “risk of death or serious bodily injury“, and she now faces up to three years in prison for her crimes.

The dangers of cosmetic procedures

In one case, a customer who received “lamb’s fat” injections reported the substance migrating from her buttocks to her hips, back and legs. The unnamed customer was eventually hospitalised and needed an operation to take out Fernandez’s injected substance.

The substance is believed to be silicone even though regulators have never approved using this substance for these purposes. Body contouring is a relatively new procedure with ongoing concerns in relation to safety.

The incident calls to attention the dangers of using unqualified or unlicensed beauticians and physicians. Providers of cosmetic surgery and other similar procedures often charge very high rates for their services as the work they do is often complex and requires specialised surgeons. People often expect that paying higher rates means they will receive exceptional care. However, it seems that there is a rising trend in unqualified and unlicensed beauticians chasing profits over their customers’ health.

An out of control industry?

Another similar trend is physicians reportedly ‘drifting’ into areas they are not fully trained in. One American newspaper, USA Today, said “as cosmetic surgery surges in popularity and insurance payouts to doctors decline, the temptation for physicians to branch into new, potentially risky procedures has never been greater.”

Licensing and accreditation is an important step to ensure individuals are receiving regulated and proper treatment by trained professionals who know what they are doing and can translate the risks to the client. One horrendous case saw three people die after receiving cosmetic surgery from an emergency room doctor. The physician received 25 years in prison.

Guilty plea

Hernandez pleaded guilty when accused of causing harm by injecting clients with an unapproved substance which consequently resulted in hospitalisation and further surgery for victims. As part of her plea deal, she agreed to pay one victim around £22,000, which was the amount the woman paid for the injections in the first place as well as her incurred losses from being admitted into hospital and having reconstructive surgery.

Here in the U.K, there are concerns that EU qualifications are not standardised. This new wave of cosmetic procedures is a real concern for us all…

Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/syringe-healthcare-needle-medicine-417786/