serious necrosis due to full-body filler injection
A young girl had to undergo more than 60 surgeries over 6 years for a full-body filler injection, leading to serious necrosis of the thighs. This is the largest emergency case ever at JW Cosmetic Hospital (HCMC), which receives patients in critical condition, both physically and mentally.
According to Dr. Nguyen Phan Tu Dung - Director of the hospital, the patient was taken to the emergency room in a state of panic and extreme pain. Even before we removed the pressure film, we felt a strong stench from the pus and blood seeping through the stomach. The entire right thigh area was swollen, purple again, with ulcers up to 10x25 cm deep, exposing the inner face muscles like a battlefield wound, Dr. Tu Dung shared.
The girl said she started getting a filler shot in 2019, not only in Vietnam but also flying to Dubai. Any area of the body that she feels unsightly from the face, buttocks, thighs to abdomen is injected. The type of filler used for unknown origin and complications continuously recurred: pustules, infections, necrosis. Every time a complication occurs, she goes to the operating table: duodenum, stitches, skin transplantation, drainage... The journey continues to repeat itself in pain and haunting.
In the past two weeks, the wound on the thigh has quickly worsened, with pus, pain, and widespread necrosis. A hospital that had undergone a preliminary surgery but could not control the condition, forced the patient to be transferred to JW in an emergency condition.
The surgery lasted nearly 5 hours and was a huge challenge for the medical team. Filler has lumped into pieces, crawling like a beehive between layers. The soft tissue of the necrotizing spinal cord extends from the groin to the knees and the incense. We had to operate like archaeologists to separate layers of tissue, dredging each solutes to avoid damage to large capillaries, said Dr. Tu Dung.
After surgery, the patient was placed with a negative pressure absorption (VAC) system to drain away pus, combined with broad-spectrum antibiotics and cold plasma treatment to fight bacteria, reduce inflammation, stabilize psychology and prepare for further interventions.
Risk of blindness and stroke from loose silicone in the equator
The above case is not a rare case of serious complications when using incorrect beauty methods.
Also in early July, in Hanoi, Dr. Hoang Thi Phuong Lan (Tam Anh General Hospital) received a patient named Thao (52 years old), a Vietnamese-German woman who returned to Vietnam to have surgery on the equator where the area was swollen and red, and painful due to liquid silicone injected 8 years ago.
MRI scans showed filler seeping throughout his face. If left for a long time, this substance can erode the blood vessels, causing stroke, facial paralysis, and even blindness, said Dr. Lan. A 1cm incision in the hair roots was done to insert and remove 25 ml of liquid silicone - a substance banned by the FDA since 1991.
Ms. Thao shared that she had a filler shot at a fair in Germany with the advertisement "safe, high rejuvenation". After a long time, every time you exercise, the equator is in pain, especially on the right side. Along with the equator, she also received injections on her chin, lips, smile lines and the buttocks - areas where doctors warned that there was a high risk of complications due to near blood vessels and nerves.
Both cases were fortunate to be handled promptly, but left serious physical and psychological consequences. Doctors affirmed that fillers are a step forward in modern cosmetics, but must be used in the right type, with the right technique and at licensed medical facilities.
Liquid synthetics and substances of unknown origin should be absolutely avoided. The widespread vaccination, followed by "fast beauty without pain and cheapness", is a price that is too expensive for health and life.
