Disfigured, painful scars and a life that will never be the same – more than 300 people across the UK have gone abroad for plastic surgery in the past four years and returned home in horrific conditions, Sky News can exclusively reveal. It became clear.
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 as planned and she suffered severe complications, leaving her in a permanent vegetative state.
Image: Michelle was scheduled to have a nose job
The 47-year-old woman, who had been living in Turkey for several months at the time, was unable to speak, walk or do anything for herself, and was flown back to the UK by private air ambulance, where she now lives in a care home in London. .
“She was definitely outgoing, very funny, very family oriented and just someone who really loved life,” her sister Nikisha 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 our daughter. We try to visit her as much as we can and do everything we can for her, but it’s heartbreaking to know that she can’t do anything on her own. It hurts.”
It remains unclear what happened to Michelle during the surgery, but a lawsuit has now been filed against everyone involved in her medical care.
Image: Michelle is currently in a permanent vegetative state
“Package deals”, long-term exemptions, cash payments – 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 handling Michel’s case told Sky News that while Michel’s case was strong, “it is actually quite difficult for a foreigner to bring a medical negligence case in Turkey.”
Image: Michelle Williams undergoes plastic surgery to become a vegetative human
“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 a patient does not have the proper documentation or has 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.
“Those are way beyond any complications that could come with any surgery. And they literally sign a waiver of their rights, so overcoming that becomes a problem as well,” Holmgren added.
“My leg was necrotic” – an operation that turned into a fatal situation
One of them was Michelle Heath.
For 10 years she worked hard to achieve her dream body, losing more than 10 stone in weight but was unable to restore the loose skin that was left behind.
Image: Michelle Heath paid for leg and back lift surgery
“When I was bodybuilding, I noticed that my back was sagging and my inner leg was hanging down past my knee. And not only was it ugly, it was painful,” Michelle said. Ta.
For years, she 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 an open wound and a 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 that were done on me didn’t work,” 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 left with a painful scar
When Heath realised he wasn’t getting the care he needed in Turkey he decided to return home but was rushed to hospital with his wound “open an inch”.
“My leg was necrotic and needed debridement, and a week later my back was open and I needed a major skin graft,” Heath said.
“While I am not proud of the burden I placed on the NHS, I believe they should have resolved this issue for me.”
100% of surgical complications reported to the organization originated from Türkiye
According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), in the past four years a total of 324 people have needed treatment in the UK due to serious complications after undergoing cosmetic surgery abroad.
The “alarming” figures show a 44% increase in people needing corrective procedures on the NHS in 2021 after travelling abroad 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 these, 75 women and seven men were treated for complications that included serious hospitalizations for infections and emergency surgeries to remove dead skin tissue, with some requiring life support.
BAAPS estimates that each patient requiring emergency medical care as a result of health tourism can cost the NHS an estimated £15,000.
‘Living hell’ – Woman can’t close her eyes after facelift
One such woman, Angela Perkins, paid £8,000 for a facelift in Turkey, which 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, ended up paying £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 a living hell.”
BAAPS revealed that 100% of surgical complications reported last year originated from Turkey, with breast surgery accounting for 25%.
These figures are based solely on data from BAAPS members, and the scale of the problem is likely to get worse.
Compulsory insurance could make people ‘think twice’
BAAPS is calling for travel insurance for cosmetic surgery to be made compulsory to address the growing number of cosmetic surgery failures.
The group said the higher risk of complications tends to be ignored as many patients choose to travel abroad simply to cut costs.
“When patients undergo cosmetic surgery abroad they usually have no idea about the competence or experience of their surgeon and little chance of expecting any follow-up care or advice,” said BAAPS president Mary O’Brien.
Image: “They usually know nothing about the surgeon’s abilities and experience”
He added that patients only meet with the surgeon immediately before surgery, at which point they have usually committed to the procedure and paid for it.
“Patients then return to the UK without the proper medical records, which makes it difficult to manage. Complications arise but are typically dealt with by the UK health system,” Mr O’Brien said.
She believes the introduction of compulsory insurance could make people “think twice about decisions that could have serious, if not fatal, consequences.”
