London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Health Secretary raised concerns over cosmetic surgery deaths for safer practices for UK citizens travelling abroad for cosmetic treatments.
Wes Streeting, UK’s health minister warns people considering cosmetic surgery abroad, like Brazilian butt lifts (BBL) to be cautious of “too good to be true” offers.
“Think carefully” about the risks and avoid “rock bottom prices” overseas, Health Secretary Wes Streeting advised Britons.
Hayley Dowell, 38 years old, passed away in October last year after spending ÂŁ7,000 on a Brazilian butt lift, liposuction, and tummy tuck, an inquest in Winchester, Hampshire revealed this week.
Kaydell Brown, 38, from Sheffield, died on March 26 this year after undergoing multiple surgeries in Turkey.
During an interview, her sister Leanne said, “She went in for surgery at about 9.30 am and that was the last time I saw her”.
Foreign Office figures reveal that six Britons died in Turkey in 2023 after travelling for medical treatment and overall 28 Britons passed since 2019.
Streeting said, “My strong advice to British travellers is, if the offer looks too good to be true, I suspect it is too good to be true. People should think very carefully before flying overseas, paying what looks like a kind of rock-bottom attractive price, because you may end up paying the consequences for years to come as a result of injuries, which in the worst cases can be life-changing”.
He added, “So I would urge before travelling abroad, think very carefully before accessing those cosmetic treatments that are currently being marketed at rock-bottom prices, but also, in too many cases, offer substandard care”.
Wes Streeting also plans to work with abroad organizations to enhance the quality of work and safety at clinics and hospitals that provide medical tourism. The cabinet minister insisted he was “determined to work with international partners to try and improve safety for Brits abroad”.
He said, “But we also need to send a strong message to the British public to manage the risks, to do their homework and think very carefully before taking up offers that are too good to be true”.
NHS England’s national medical director, Prof Sir Stephen Powis, also advised caution and pointed out the extra pressure on the National Health Service (NHS) when treating victims of failed cosmetic procedures abroad.
He said, “It is not fair that the NHS is left to pick up the pieces of botched Brazilian butt lifts. Not only are they potentially fatal, having the highest death rate of all cosmetic procedures, but dodgy procedures mean the NHS then has to repair the damage, landing taxpayers with a hefty bill too”.
Sir Stephen continued, “NHS resources are precious, and I’d urge anyone considering a BBL to think twice before taking up an offer that seems too good to be true”.
Uk government officials held meetings with Turkish counterparts last year amid concerns over the death of Melissa Kerr, 31, during a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure.
According to the British Association of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons figures, 69% of Britons who underwent cosmetic surgery abroad opted for Turkey. Other popular countries include the Dominican Republic (7%), Brazil (6%), and Tunisia (4%).
The recent surge in deaths has led the Royal College of Surgeons of England to organize a summit to enhance patient safety.
Prof Vivien Lees, a consultant plastic surgeon and the college’s vice-president said, “After years of inaction from officials, we are now convening an urgent meeting with experts across health, advertising and trade authorities, together with foreign governments, to address this growing crisis”.
The government also cautioned that they can not assist people stuck overseas because of costs and complications from cosmetic surgery as “planned medical treatment is considered a commercial arrangement”.