Underground Cosmetic Surgery Can Be Fatal

Posted on May 8, 2009 in Uncategorized

An increasing number of men and women are seeking out illegal silicone injections as an alternative to plastic surgery. The procedures are appealing to individuals who would like to change their appearance but are unable to afford conventional surgery, primarily low-income women and transsexuals.

The rise in popularity of cosmetic procedures has triggered a thriving black market in medical and industrial grade silicone that is injected in makeshift medical facilities or underground “pumping parties.” The silicone is used to fill out buttocks, breasts, and facial wrinkles in a cheap alternative to expensive cosmetic procedures. However they are extremely dangerous.

While the ease and affordability may make these procedures appealing, prospective patients should know that liquid silicone can cause a number of serious health conditions. The Food and Drug Administration banned the use of liquid silicone injections in 1992, and is only approved for use in certain implants where the liquid is contained in a shell. The danger lies in the silicone moving through the body where it can cause lumps, pain, and become lodged in the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism.

Because these procedures are illegal, it is difficult to determine the percentage of patients who develop complications, but in a study of 44 patients with lung conditions resulting from liquid silicone, the mortality rate was nearly 25%.

The FDA is encouraging victims of illegal silicone injections to come forward, and is pressing criminal charges against cosmologists who carry out the procedure.