November 25, 2019
Image caption: Amanda White said she wanted to warn others about the potential dangers of having surgery abroad
A 29-year-old Belfast woman had to have her left breast removed after developing an infection after undergoing breast reduction surgery in Turkey.
Amanda White visited a clinic in the country on November 6 but became unwell on her return and had to undergo surgery at Ulster Hospital.
Although doctors tried to save her breasts, she had to undergo a mastectomy.
White spoke out because she wanted to warn others about the potential dangers of having surgery overseas.
“Severe back pain”
The mother of two young boys, from south Belfast, spoke to BBC News NI from her hospital bed.
“I’ve wanted to have the surgery for a long time, since I was about 18,” she says.
“I had a lot of discomfort in my chest and terrible pain in my back, but I never thought it would happen like this.
“The doctor told me that if I had received treatment later, I wouldn’t be here.”
Image caption: Amanda White recovering in Ulster Hospital
White said alarm bells began ringing as soon as she arrived at the Turkish clinic.
“They just wanted my passport and my cash,” she said.
“I had to sign a consent form that wasn’t in English, and the surgeon was only in the room for a few seconds.”
“Dirty”
A few hours after the operation, she was taken to a villa where she stayed for three nights in a simple, windowless room.
“The bed was not changed and when I asked for the corset I was given to wear to be washed it was returned dirty,” White said.
She is far from alone: Ulster Hospital has recently treated six patients who travelled overseas for surgery with disastrous outcomes.
Alastair Brown, consultant plastic surgeon at Ulster Hospital, said he was concerned about the rise in so-called “cosmetic surgery tourism”.
Image caption: Alastair Brown said the NHS was dealing with ‘disastrous outcomes’ in some cases
“To me it’s just ridiculous. I don’t know and I don’t understand why anyone would put their body through something like that,” he said.
“I understand they’re trying to save a little bit of money and cut costs, but in the long run, is it really going to save money?”
“When it works, it’s great, and there are cases where it works. But when it doesn’t work, it can go very badly, with disastrous consequences.”
“And I can’t stress enough how important it is to get this message out to the public. Please be very careful before you go into this.”
Celebrity endorsements
White said she did her research before going overseas and was heavily inspired by the many celebrities who had used the same clinic.
“All the celebrities say, ‘It’s amazing here,’ and I can believe it,” she said.
The operation in Northern Ireland would have cost around £7,000, but Mr White spent £3,250 to have it in Turkey, including airfare and hotel costs.
When I got home, the wound on my left side became infected, so I went to the doctor, who told me to go to the emergency department.
Then last Wednesday she had to undergo further surgery.
“I had open surgery and found out they had to remove my nipple and a large part of my left breast. There was nothing I could do.”
Image caption: White told reporter Tara Mills that celebrity endorsements influenced her choice of clinic.
She will be able to undergo reconstructive surgery in about nine months.
“The doctors here are fantastic but going elsewhere is a no-no. I think we need to tell girls not to go elsewhere, save a few extra pounds and get the surgery at home.”
“Free corrections”
Brown also wants the public to be aware of the risks.
“Think about the establishment of facilities and aftercare,” he said.
“Anyone can have complications, but what do you do if something goes wrong?
“Our surgeons are highly skilled and trained and we continually evaluate them. Are other countries doing the same? We don’t know.”
“There was another case today which from what we’ve heard is less serious but will require long-term treatment on the NHS.”
BBC News NI contacted Comfort Zone Surgery in Turkey, where Amanda underwent the operation.
In a statement, they said: “As with any surgical procedure, the biggest risk is infection, which can happen to anyone in any country.”
“We are extremely sorry to hear this and will be happy to make any corrections she may require in the near future free of charge.”
