Dr Sophie Shotter, who runs her own private clinics and is a trustee of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine, said “a lot of people don’t have a clue” about the risks before signing up for a liquid BBL.
She says she does not offer non-surgical BBLs because of the potential risks – and although Cairo was OK, this isn’t the case for everyone.
A serious concern is that the injection can cause a blockage in a blood vessel that can in turn lead to a blood clot travelling to the lungs – what is known as a pulmonary embolism.
This can be lethal.
Infections, scarring, significant deformities and reactions to local anaesthetic, including toxicity, are also risks.
There is no data on the death rate of liquid BBLs, but the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons said the procedure was associated with a higher complication rate than other non-surgical procedures.
Dr Shotter said regulatory action had been slow “because the people in power don’t take it seriously”.
“I think it’s because of a little bit of inherent misogyny,” she said, since the procedures are more popular with women.
She said she wanted to see regulation of who can administer fillers and where this is allowed to take place.
“It feels like it’s spiralling and spiralling.
“Alice’s case is absolutely tragic – but many of us feel like we’ve been expecting it for a while.”
