Disfigurement, painful scars, lives never to be restored – more than 300 people across the UK have travelled abroad for plastic surgery in the past four years only to return home in horrific conditions, a Sky News exclusive can reveal.
WARNING: This article contains disturbing images.
In August 2020, primary school teacher Michelle Williams decided to undergo what was supposed to be a simple nose job in Turkey.
However, the mother-of-one’s surgery did not go to plan and she suffered serious complications that left her in a permanent vegetative state.
Image: Michelle was scheduled to have a nose job
The 47-year-old, who had been living in Turkey for several months at the time, was unable to speak, walk or do anything for herself and was returned to the UK in a private ambulance and now lives in a care home in London.
“She was just an incredibly outgoing person, really funny, a family oriented person and someone who loved life,” her sister Nikeesha Lynch told Sky News.
“It’s been absolutely devastating… It’s put a huge strain on the family. It’s been really, really hard.”
“It’s been difficult for her. We visit her as much as we can and try to do everything we can for her, but it’s heartbreaking to know she can’t do anything for herself.”
It is unclear what happened during Michelle’s surgery, but lawsuits have been filed against everyone involved in her medical care.
Image: Michelle is currently in a permanent vegetative state
“Package deals,” long-term waivers, cash payments — and legal issues when things go wrong
Unfortunately, legal recourse is not easy, and filing a lawsuit could end up costing more than the surgery itself.
A lawyer representing Michelle’s case told Sky News that while her case is strong, “it is actually quite difficult for foreigners to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit in Turkey”.
Image: Michelle Williams in a vegetative state after plastic surgery
“It could take up to two years to prove a claim of negligence in a Turkish court,” Burg Holmgren said.
She explained that proving medical malpractice can be “very difficult” if patients do not have the proper documentation or have booked surgery on a “package deal”.
Such packages would typically include flights, accommodation and surgery, but Holmgren said this could be “very difficult” because they don’t contract directly with surgeons or hospitals.
Another problem is that “in most cases” patients are required to pay in cash and sign “very extensive” waivers.
“They go above and beyond the potential complications of surgery, and they’re literally giving up their rights, so overcoming that becomes an issue as well,” Holmgren added.
Image by Burcu Holmgren
“My leg is necrotic” – Surgery that turned deadly
One of them was Michelle Heath.
She worked hard for 10 years to get her dream body and lost more than 10 stone, but the loose skin that was left behind just wouldn’t shed.
Pictured: Michelle Heath paid to have leg and back lift surgery
“When I was bodybuilding, I noticed my back was sagging and my inner thighs were hanging down to my knees. Not only did it look bad, it was painful,” Michelle said.
For years, she’d tucked her loose skin into her underwear, but eventually decided she needed a more permanent solution.
Michelle paid around £4,173 for a package deal which included a leg and back lift, flights and a five-night stay in Turkey.
Image: Michelle was left with excess skin after losing weight
She returned to Northern Ireland with open wounds and severe infection, requiring two further operations and skin grafts.
The 40-year-old claims that the liposuction procedure and Brazilian bum lift were performed without her permission, but she was unaware of it until the third day of recovery.
“All the surgeries they’ve done on me have been ineffective,” she said.
She explained that the pain was so severe that she was unable to sit on the toilet, urinated on herself and passed out in front of the doctor.
Image: Michelle was grievously injured
After realising he would not be able to get the treatment he needed in Turkey, Heath decided to return home and was taken to hospital with his wound “opened about an inch”.
“My foot was necrotic and had to be debrided, then a week later my back split open and I needed extensive skin grafts,” Heath said.
“I’m not proud of the strain I’ve put on the NHS but I believe they should have sorted this out for me.”
100% of the surgical complications reported to the organization were from Turkey.
According to the British Association of Aesthetic Surgeons (BAAPS), a total of 324 people have needed treatment in the UK due to serious complications after undergoing cosmetic surgery abroad in the past four years.
The “alarming” figures show a 44% increase in people needing corrective surgery on the NHS in 2021 after travelling to another country for cosmetic surgery, compared to the previous year.
This is despite recommendations to avoid elective procedures and non-essential travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Image: Michelle had to undergo skin grafts as a result of her surgery
Of those, 75 women and seven men were treated for complications including serious infections that required hospitalization and emergency surgery to remove dead skin tissue, some of which had to be placed on life support.
BAAPS estimates that each patient who requires emergency medical care as a result of health tourism could cost the NHS around £15,000.
‘Living hell’ – Woman can’t close her eyes after facelift
One of these women, Angela Perkins, paid £8,000 for a facelift in Turkey that went horribly wrong.
The 57-year-old was left with facial scars as a result of the operation and was unable to close her right eye.
Ms Perkins, whose name has been changed, will need to pay £30,000 for multiple operations to correct her eyes, ears, cheeks and neck.
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“If someone had told me how much the decision to go to Turkey would cost me financially, physically and emotionally, I would never have gotten on that plane,” she said.
“The last 16 months of my life have been living hell.”
BAAPS found that 100% of surgical complications reported last year came from Turkey, with breast surgery accounting for 25%.
These figures are based solely on BAAPS member data, and the scale of the problem is likely much more serious.
Compulsory insurance could make people ‘think twice’
The BAAPS is calling for travel insurance for cosmetic surgery to be made compulsory to tackle the rise in cases of botched cosmetic surgery procedures.
The group said the higher risk of complications tends to be downplayed as many patients choose to travel abroad simply to cut costs.
“When patients undergo cosmetic surgery overseas they usually have no idea about the competence or experience of the surgeon and little chance of expecting any follow-up care or advice,” said BAAPS president Mary O’Brien.
Image: “They usually have no idea about the surgeon’s capabilities and experience”
She added that patients only meet with the surgeon immediately before surgery, at which point they have decided to have the procedure and paid for it.
“Patients then return to the UK without the proper medical records, which makes it difficult to manage. Complications are inevitable but are usually dealt with by the UK health system,” Mr O’Brien said.
She believes the introduction of compulsory insurance will “make people think twice about decisions that could have serious, if not fatal, consequences.”
