Family brochure Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder following the death of a woman believed to have undergone a non-surgical Brazilian butt lift (BBL).
Mother-of-five Alice Webb, 33, died at Gloucestershire Royal Infirmary in the early hours of Tuesday after falling ill.
Mrs Webb’s partner Dane Knight urged people to think about her daughters before speculating.
Gloucestershire Police’s Major Crime Squad is investigating and both arrested have been released on bail.
In an appeal on Facebook, Mr Knight said:[I] I want to say a sincere thank you to all the family and friends who were there for us in our time of need, including all the kind messages I sent my children and myself.
“There have been some really nice messages sent by some of your children that have put a smile on the corner of my children’s mouths.”
He also urged people to think about who is around before talking about Mrs Webb’s death.
“I [don’t want] The five girls were asked unnecessary questions, so be extremely careful about what you say and who is around.
“Please bear in mind the feelings of these five girls,” he added.
A neighbor of what the BBC believes to be Mrs Webb’s BBL operation said police were at the premises “all day … until yesterday evening”.
She said she didn’t know what was going on there until a reporter told her.
“I am very sorry… for the lady who lost her life. Very sad all around.”
What is BBL?
BBL is a treatment designed to make the buttocks bigger, rounder or lifted. It can be offered as a surgical or non-surgical procedure.
Surgical BBLs involve inserting silicone-filled implants and/or removing fat from other parts of the body before injecting into the buttocks.
Non-surgical BBLs – like the one Mrs Webb is believed to have had – involve injecting dermal filler into the buttocks.
The filler often consists of hyaluronic acid. It is commonly used in facial filler treatments, including lip and cheek fillers.
Although non-surgical BBLs are not illegal in the UK, last year Wolverhampton City Council banned a company from carrying out the procedure after identifying the risks associated with their procedures, including blood clots, sepsis and the potential for body tissue to die.
Five local authorities in Essex and Glasgow have followed suit and have banned certain companies from carrying out BBL liquids in their area.
“Crisis waiting to happen”
Save Face is a national registry of accredited physicians offering non-surgical cosmetic treatments.
Director Ashton Collins said the organization had supported 500 women who had suffered complications from the procedure.
Ms Collins said: “Liquid BBL processes are a crisis waiting to happen. They are advertised on social media as ‘risk-free’, ‘cheaper’ alternatives to the equivalent of surgery and that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
He told BBC Radio 5 Live that facial fillers are “relatively safe”, due to the small amount of product injected.
However, the “huge tumors” used in BBLs present a higher risk of complications.
“I cannot emphasize strongly enough how incredibly dangerous these procedures are,” Ms Collins said.
“I would urge anyone considering this treatment to avoid it at all costs.”
Save Face criticized unsanitary injectors performing BBL fluids, saying they often failed to recognize and manage their clients’ complications and often misdiagnosed abscesses and tissue necrosis as bruises.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Patient safety is paramount and we would urge anyone considering cosmetic surgery to consider the potential health effects and find a reliable, insured and qualified practitioner.
“We are exploring options regarding regulatory oversight of the non-surgical cosmetic sector and will update in due course.”
