Illegal Cosmetic Surgery Dangers! Learn from Cardi B's Experience!

There are some natural reasons a person can have a larger butt including genetics and a fitness plan designed with that goal in mind. Injectable fillers are another method and they should only be administered by a licensed medical professional.

Rapper Cardi B recently told GQ Magazine that she received butt injections around four years ago. The injections cost around $800 and were performed, without any numbing medication at all, in a basement. She told the magazine, “It was the craziest pain ever. I felt like I was gonna pass out. I felt a little dizzy.” Cardi added that she experienced leakage for about five days after the injections.

While this might seem like an extreme story, it is actually more common than most people realize. Back in 2017, the FDA released a warning to consumers. In a written statement, the FDA said they have “investigated and prosecuted unlicensed providers administering these injections all over the country.”

In order to be considered illegal when it comes to cosmetic surgery, the person performing the medical procedure must:

• Do so without a license
• Perform the procedure in an unregulated nonmedical setting
• Use products not approved for medical use
• Defraud a consumer by posing as a medical professional or misrepresent a product to a patient by claiming it is an FDA-approved substance

It should be noted that off-label use of a substance approved by the FDA is not illegal but it should be a red flag to consumers. 

Popular methods for enhancing the butt include a traditional butt lift, using implants or undergoing a Brazilian butt lift. In her interview, Cardi implied that she didn’t have enough excess fat on her body to undergo fat grafting so she might have received synthetic filler. In procedures performed outside of medical facilities, there is often no anesthesia involved so the experience can be very painful. Infection risks are also increased due to the lack of a sterile environment and equipment. Plus, there is no way to know exactly what is being injected into a person if it is not performed in a medical facility. Instead of FDA-approved materials, it could be substances such as cement or industrial-grade silicone or even dermal fillers which are normally used to treat facial lines and wrinkles.

Patients who had a procedure performed in a location other than a medical hospital or facility should be watchful for signs of an infection or serious complications such as stroke symptoms, pain, trouble breathing and disfigured tissue.

Unfortunately, surgical intervention cannot always help fix issues caused by illegal substances. Some doctors advise their patients to just “leave it alone” if no issues or complications arise.

The main piece of advice doctors give their patients? Always visit a licensed professional before undergoing any type of body modification procedure.

MA