Buttock Augmentation death highlights the importance of choosing a Registered Surgeon

You have probably heard in the news the unfortunate story of Londoner Claudia Aderotimi, 20, who died following a Buttock Augmentation earlier this month.

Claudia experienced chest pains and difficulty breathing, then died (preliminary post-mortem examinations have shown) when her lung filled with silicone, causing a fatal embolism.

Whilst this story is incredibly sad, it cannot really be used as a case against Cosmetic Surgery, and should be taken as a lesson to those considering surgical procedures, rather than a cause for alarm.

To begin with: the method of Buttock Augmentation (a procedure to enhance the shape or size of the bottom) chosen by Ms Aderotimi was not an official surgical procedure at all. Nor was it legal.

She flew out to America, to a budget hotel room near Philadelphia airport, where she was treated with silicone injections directly into the buttocks.

The injection of silicone into this area is illegal (according to the Federation of Food and Drug Administration); the buttocks are large and the force required to inject such huge quantities of silicone here is bound to be very dangerous.

In fact, any direct injections of silicone (for buttocks or breasts) are avoided by registered practitioners in the UK and US today.

The identity of her Practitioner is still unconfirmed, but rumoured to be a transgender local hip hop artist. One thing is for sure: whoever injected Claudia was unregistered, trading illegally and the environment was a far cry from the recommended sterile set up of a clinic, where there is emergency equipment on hand if anything goes wrong.

It is thought that the person who injected Ms Aderotimi used superglue to seal the puncture site and stop any silicone leaking out, and that the silicone itself may have been industrial sealant, rather than medical silicone of the type used in Breast Augmentations.

Although Claudia had undergone this treatment in November and was merely returning for a top-up, Lt. John Walker, police spokesperson, explains that she was always dicing with death.

In the end, he told Reuters, “what we believe happened is that the injector nicked a vein and put the substance into the bloodstream. It goes through your vascular system and lands in the lung and since it’s a gel, it will pile up like a rock.””

It did not have to end this way: there are legal, safe and effective ways to get Buttock Augmentation.

As Mr Adrian Richards of Aurora emphasises, “”it is vital to see a BAAPS-registered surgeon”, who is fully aware of safety requirements and can advise you about possible complications and risks of any surgery.”

Registered surgeons perform Buttock Augmentation using either fat injections which transfer small amounts of fat from other parts of your body, or with implants (much like Breast Augmentation).

The majority of registered surgeons prefer the implant method as there is less risk of fat re-absorption or being unable to find sufficient fat to transfer (a potential issue in patients whose reason for surgery is to look more voluptuous anyway!)

Even using these methods, it is a major surgery with potential risks and complications: it can take up to several months to completely recover and involves wearing compression garments for many weeks.

The aim is to enhance the shape and size of the buttocks, but patients should realise that perfect symmetry is very rare. Nonetheless, the treatment has become very popular in America thanks to the influence of celebrities.

Now it’s popularity is spreading to the UK and can, admittedly, boost the confidence of men and women who feel out of proportion or unsexy because of their lack of shape: the treatment can increase the appearance, shape and size of the buttocks, in order to achieve an “hour-glass” figure or improve a flat bottom.

Perhaps for Claudia Aderotimi, like others who succumb to the lure of cut-price surgery abroad, the £7000 (approximately) for a legal Buttock Augmentation treatment with a registered surgeon seemed too much and the £1300 she paid for her injections was more affordable.

Claudia found out about her silicone injections through an online forum, and there are numerous backdoor traders offering similar cheap illegal treatments worldwide via the Internet.

As Mr Richards warns, “cheap surgery abroad really is a Russian Roulette. Not only might regulations be far less strict in other countries, but you will have very little follow-up care (if any) which is a vital part of the surgical process. Furthermore, if things do go horribly wrong you will be in unfamiliar territory.”

Always take the time to fully research your options, find a reputable surgeon who offers consultations and take a look at the surroundings in which you will have your treatment. If it does not seem clean, professional and fully equipped then do not proceed…. It simply is not worth the risk.