Why do UK MPs want to ban the Brazilian butt lift? – Firstpost

Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedures, which involve injecting filler into the buttocks to enhance volume, are notoriously unsafe, particularly when carried out by unqualified practitioners, claim UK MPs, demanding that the government immediately ban the procedure in the country. According to a report by the Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee (WEC), chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen, more people are opting for non-surgical cosmetic treatments, often driven by body image concerns shaped by content they have seen on social media.

According to them, this trend has sparked worries that online influencers are normalising risky and potentially life-threatening procedures. The demand for a complete ban on butt lifts has intensified following the death of 33-year-old Alice Webb, a mother of five, in September 2024, after she underwent the enhancement.

We take a look.

Why are Uk MPs demanding a ban on BBL?

In a new report, the WEC pointed out that a “lack of regulation in the cosmetics industry has led to a wild west, where patients are receiving procedures in garden sheds, hotel rooms and even public toilets”. According to the committee, these high-risk procedures, like non-surgical buttock augmentation, should be banned without delay in the UK.

The group of MPs added that, in cases like these, a licensing system is essential. “People with no training can carry out potentially harmful procedures, putting the public at risk,” it claimed, according to the Guardian. “A licensing system for lower-risk procedures, in which only those suitably qualified can perform them, should be introduced within this parliament.”

A nine-month inquiry by the committee also accused ministers of “not moving quickly enough” to tackle the risks posed to Britons.

The group recommended that the government “accelerate regulatory action.” MPs also cautioned that delays in taking action were encouraging a culture of complacency in the industry’s self-regulation.

“The government is not moving quickly enough in introducing such a system. At present, individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially harmful interventions, placing the public at risk,” the MPs added.

They pointed out that there are currently no clear rules governing who is qualified to carry out non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including injectables such as fillers or botulinum toxin (often referred to as Botox), as well as treatments like laser therapy and chemical peels.

“Regulation has not kept pace with the sector’s expansion. In 2013, the head of the NHS (National Health Service) warned that a person having a non-surgical cosmetic intervention has no more protection than someone buying a toothbrush,” the media outlet quoted Sarah Owen as saying.

“Over a decade later, the only thing that has changed is the number of people suffering life-changing and life-threatening injuries,” Owen added.

What has been the response to the demand?

The Department of Health and Social Care issued a statement, saying that it would consider the report and “respond fully in due course”.

“This government is taking action to crack down on cosmetic cowboys and root out dangerous treatments. Our tough new measures will ensure only qualified healthcare professionals will be able to perform the highest-risk procedures,” a spokesperson said.

“For anyone considering a cosmetic procedure, please check the provider’s qualifications and insurance – and avoid treatments that appear suspiciously cheap,” it added.

What is BBL? Why is it dangerous?

The Brazilian butt lift is a cosmetic procedure that has been growing in popularity. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is a non-surgical buttock augmentation in which dermal fillers are injected to enhance the volume and shape of the buttocks.

Other names for the procedure are “Buttock augmentation with fat grafting” and “safe subcutaneous buttock augmentation (SSBA)”.

The reason BBL is so dangerous is quite simple. The buttocks contain numerous blood vessels, some of them very large. These vessels are connected to the inferior vena cava, a major vein that drains into the heart, according to a website of Dr Alexis Delobaux_,_ a French plastic surgeon.

During the procedure, fat is injected into the buttocks using a cannula, a long metal tube. It can be difficult for surgeons to know precisely where they are injecting the fat, since this is a “blind” technique in which the surgeon estimates the location of his or her cannula.

In fact, in some cases, cosmetic surgeons have sometimes injected fat in the wrong place. The fat has then reportedly moved to the heart or lungs, blocking blood circulation and potentially causing death or serious complications.

Who are the victims of BBL?

A mother-of-five, Alice Webb, 33, from South West England, died hours after undergoing the butt lift procedure. Two individuals, including the beautician suspected of performing the procedure, were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. However, they were later released on bail, reported the Sun. 

Demi Agoglia, a mother of three, died after the BBL went wrong. Agoglia, from Salford, England, had travelled to Turkey for the procedure in January 2023 after watching a social media advertisement, the BBC reported.

The 26-year-old died in a hospital in Istanbul on January 8, 2023, just three days after the surgery, following a series of alleged lapses in care. Christine Tydd, her mother, said she had told her daughter she was a “good-looking girl” and did not need this.

Another UK mom, Sophie Hunt, 34, died after undergoing a Brazilian butt lift in Turkey in 2022. Sophie experienced multi-organ failure and died on March 9, 2022, after going into cardiac arrest three times, two days after undergoing a BBL and tummy tuck, according to reports.

The People reported citing BBC that Sophie’s mother, Sandra Hunt, said her daughter lost consciousness and developed swelling in her hands after the procedure. She added that she believes that her daughter “was not fit for the surgery.”

Another woman, Sasha Dean, was hospitalised in intensive care with sepsis and remained under treatment for five weeks after BBL went wrong, the Guardian reported.

With inputs from agencies