“My BBL liquid was safe – I still regret it”

Cairo Nakhate-Chirwa had a non-surgical buttock lift (BBL) in June.

She is delighted with the results – but says she now regrets it after discovering the procedure was messy and potentially dangerous.

This comes next arrests were made after the death of Alice Webb, who is deemed to have submitted to the procedure.

A non-surgical BBL usually involves injecting filler into the buttock to make it bigger, rounder or lifted and is not regulated in the UK.

Experts call the lack of rules in the UK “the wild west”, while NHS England has warned against the procedure altogether.

The Department of Health and Social Care says it is currently exploring regulatory options for the non-surgical cosmetic sector and says it will provide an update in due course.

Cairo took to Instagram to find someone to give her a liquid BBL — another name for a non-surgical BBL — in late June.

He found a page advertising the procedure for £1,200.

Twenty-four hours later, she arrived at a flat in London for her appointment.

He did not check whether the person performing the procedure was a qualified medical practitioner.

“When they advertise themselves, you just assume they are [qualified]Cairo said.

But non-surgical cosmetic procedures are not regulated in the UK – this includes BBL liquids.

The BBC contacted the person who made the Cairo BBL for comment, but he did not respond.

Cairo said the only downside, apart from the “pain” of the procedure, was some leakage from the injection site two weeks later.

She said she first considered the risks after hearing about Alice Webb’s death – and that while her experience was “not negative at all”, she regretted it and wished she had done more research.

“I am happy with my appearance.

“It made sense, it was cheaper. But now I wonder.”

Non-surgical BBLs can be done using a local anesthetic and are generally performed in a clinic room – rather than a sterile operating room.

There are even reports of procedures being done in hotel rooms.

Recent research by the organization Save Face, suggests many people they don’t know what is being injected into their body.

The filler used could be hyaluronic acid & PLLA (Poly-L-lactic acid) for example.

NHS England strongly advise against non-surgical BBL ‘because it is not regulated’.

Surgical BBLs meanwhile often involve transferring fat from one part of the body to the buttock.

This is most often done under general anesthesia in an operating room and may involve extensive liposuction, with large volumes of fat being transferred.

In 2018, due to concerns about the high mortality rates associated with surgical BBLs, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons called for a four-year hiatus from its members performing the procedure.

In 2022 it published new guidelines, encouraging surgeons to use a different technique – called superficial gluteal lipofilling (SGL).

While it uses fat harvested from the body, it is only injected under the skin, while BBLs inject fat deep into the muscles.

He also recommends that surgeons only perform SGL while simultaneously using ultrasound so they can see where the cannulae are going.

This process carries its own risks.

Mr Marc Pacifico of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons said the lack of regulation meant the UK was “known as the wild west”.

In the UK, filler injected during non-surgical procedures is not classed as a medicine and therefore does not need to be prescribed. Instead, it is classified as a device.

“This is one of the biggest gaps we have in the country,” believes Mr. Pacifico.

“And that’s why anyone and everyone could have access to get them.”

This makes the UK “the most remote country” in Europe, he said.

Dr Sophie Shotter, who has her own private clinics and is a trustee of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine, said “a lot of people have no idea” about the risks before signing up for a liquid BBL.

He says he doesn’t offer non-surgical BBLs because of the potential risks – and although Cairo was fine, that’s not the case for everyone.

A serious concern is that the injection can cause a blockage in a blood vessel which can in turn lead to a blood clot traveling to the lungs – what is known as a pulmonary embolism.

This can be fatal.

Infections, scarring, significant deformities, and reactions to the local anesthetic, including toxicity, are also risks.

There is no data on the mortality rate of liquid BBLs, but the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons said the procedure was associated with a higher rate of complications than other non-surgical procedures.

Dr Sotter said regulatory action has been slow “because people in power don’t take it seriously”.

“I think it’s because of a little inherent misogyny,” she said, since the procedures are more popular with women.

He said he wanted to see regulation of who can sponsor fillers and where they are allowed to do so.

“It feels like it’s twisting and turning.

“Alice’s case is absolutely tragic – but one that many of us feel has been a long time coming.”

NHS England advises against doing non-surgical BBL altogether.

“There is no guarantee that the correct safety measures are being taken,” said NHS National Medical Director Professor Sir Stephen Powis.

Referring to all cosmetic procedures, 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 reputable, insured and qualified practitioner. . “

Cairo, who stars as rapper Lavida Loca, said she wanted a BBL because of the pressure to look a certain way: “In the hip hop world… women have to have curves.”

“I succumbed to the pressure. I tried to do it naturally and it didn’t work and I didn’t have enough fat in my body for a BBL surgery.”

According to Professor Elizabeth Daniels, director of the Center for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England, people who have cosmetic surgery often feel dissatisfied with their body image.

But she emphasized that relationships and social factors, such as laws and mental health resources, also play a role.

“It’s important not to pathologize people or make assumptions about their motivations and instead think – is this a big social issue and how can we make it better?”