Risks of DIY injectable fillers
Apryl Brown grew up her whole life wanting to fix her one physical flaw. As a little girl, she was teased for having a flat butt and was determined to fix the problem as she grew older. Sadly, the decision to fix this flaw nearly cost Brown her life.
In 2004, a client of Brown’s told her about silicone injections that can be used in the buttocks. Her client explained that purchasing injections online was much cheaper than getting them from a plastic surgeon. Within a week, Brown found herself lying down in her house getting the first injection, assuming it was the same injections that plastic surgeons used. Unfortunately, she later paid the true cost of these injections.
After getting her second treatment, Brown came to her senses and realized what she was doing wasn’t safe. She no longer felt comfortable receiving injections of a foreign substance, and wasn’t even sure if it was the right substance that was being injected into her body.
Many people are seduced by the low cost of purchasing fillers online, but don’t realize the potential danger it can have on their body. Injectable fillers sold online aren’t even legal. In fact, only 21 dermal fillers in the United States are FDA approved. All of these fillers must be administered by a medical provider, with only FDA approved dermal fillers allowed to be self-injected.
As a result of using non-FDA approved fillers, Brown’s health took a turn for the worst. She started feeling an intense pain that came from the filler, and her body began shutting down. She was suffering from a staph infection that spread throughout her body, causing her limbs to curl and turn black. With visible signs of necrosis, doctors had no choice but to amputate Brown’s hands and feet. She had to undergo 27 surgeries in order for doctors to get all the necrotic tissue, but fortunately, she survived.
When doctors tested the substance that was injected in her body, they found out it was bathroom caulk. Since receiving the injections, Brown hasn’t been in contact with the woman that recommended it to her. Because of her decision to inject non-FDA approved filler, Brown is now learning how to do everything all over again with prosthetics.
Years after the horrible incident, Brown warns people not to purchase injections online: “All I would ask them to do is, when you have that first thought, make sure they have a second thought about it and do a little research. And if they still want to do it, go for it. They won't be blindsided, saying, 'Oh, my God, I had no idea that a simple procedure like that can leave me with no hands, no feet and no butt cheeks.”
If you are considering dermal fillers, get them done by a board certified plastic surgeon. Financially, it may cost a little more but there is no price tag on saving your life. For more information about injectable fillers, contact a Des Moines plastic surgeon at 515.421.4299.