Customers who purchase raffle tickets will automatically enter into one of the weekly electronic draws that will see three winners
uae19 hours ago
Leaving a Tupperware party with a lid that doesn't fit your newly-purchased lunch box is frustrating. But imagine leaving a Botox party with a disfigured face. The feelings go far beyond frustration.
Living in an age where beauty enhancements have become big business of late, wrinkle-proofing and lip-plumping have become part of our everyday lexicon. Naturally, for many young professionals with a disposable income and a penchant for perfection, Tupperware parties and coffee mornings are being traded in for Botox and filler parties.
But there is a downside to these affordable, non-surgical, lunch hour quick-fixes.
For 37-year-old Dubai-based Russian, Tanya Azarov (named changed) a decision to remove some unsightly fillers eight years ago left her more than Dh50,000 in debt - with a face she described as "Frankenstein".
At the age of 27, Azarov wanted to change her appearance. With no previous surgical or non-surgical enhancements to her body, she opted to get some temporary fillers in her lips.
Cheap deals costly to health
Dr Jeehan Abdul Qadir, executive chairperson of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital (AACSH) in Dubai Health Care City, told Khaleej Times that patients with fake fillers and botched Botox often present as outpatients at the hospital.
"These kinds of procedures are being carried out illegally in private apartments and salons."
Using uncertified toxins, including melted rubber from tires, silicon and cement, she said these criminals are promoting fake goods as the "real deal" at discounted rates.
"These products are being manufactured in unlicensed factories all over the world, mainly in the far east."
She said the harmful toxins work against the body's muscles, which often leads to facial deformities. And those administering the injections are doing so incorrectly too.
Dr Qadir said clients usually receive invites to villas and salons to try "new treatments at slashed prices", which often look legitimate. But they are not.
"People get duped easily. They don't think about the effects until after the toxins have been administered into their bodies. By then it's too late."
But with awareness being stepped up here, she said the number of patients opting for post-fake injectable restoration procedures is decreasing.
Statistics from AACSH show the number of surgical permanent filler removal procedures carried out in the hospital decreased by 36 per cent from 2013 to 2014.
In terms of demographics, Dr Jeehan said Emirati patients account for the majority of patients opting for such procedures (46 per cent), followed by residents of other GCC countries (27 per cent), the wider Mena region (18 per cent), and the rest of the world (9 per cent). Today, the US Food and Drug Administration has approval on two botulinum toxin products: Botox and Dysport.
Only two companies in the world, based in the US and UK, are licensed to sell the products.
Medical facilities or practitioners wishing to buy these products have to do so through licensed agencies in the respective country.
For those wishing to go ahead with these types of non-surgical aesthetic procedures, Dr Qadir said research is key.
"Education on the dangers of this type of illegal trading is imperative. Do your research. Always ask about the origin of a product and ask your doctor plenty of questions," she said.
And for those lured by the cheap price tag, you'll likely end up out of pocket, she said, and it could end up costing you your health.
"The initial procedure may appear cheap, but you will end up spending 10 times more fixing the problem."
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
"I went to a reputable clinic in Dubai and the fillers were completely legal. The doctor advised me they would naturally absorb into my body after a few years."
Over time, Azarov grew to dislike the fillers and she was keen to have them removed.
A colleague passed on the details of a local American plastic surgeon who ran a private clinic from his villa in Jumeirah. His business card name read: 'Dr Steven Hopping' - a renowned cosmetic surgeon in the US and the UAE.
As she was told his prices were competitive, she booked a consultation with him.
"When I arrived at the villa, it all looked professional to me. He had his certificates on the wall, he gave me his business card. He lived in the villa with his wife and children. And to me, everything looked okay."
Azarov later realised 'Dr Steven Hopping' was in fact 'Dr Steven Moos'. Authorities in the US had been seeking his arrest since he was struck off in 2004 for medical malpractice.
Unfortunately for Azarov, the news came too late.
Botched procedure
During her initial consultation with Dr Moos, he recommended he make a small incision in her upper lip to see if the filler would seep out naturally.
Azarov handed over the Dh500 fee and after being injected with a local anaesthetic, the fraudster made a small incision in her upper lip.
"The gel started oozing out slowly. He advised I book a follow up appointment where he would perform the full procedure to remove the rest of the filler."
Later that same day, Azarov started to experience swelling of her upper lip.
By 10pm that evening, the small incision had become infected and she called Dr Moos for advice.
"Despite the fact it was late at night he told me to come back to the clinic. When he saw my lip I could tell he was scared."
Initially, he blamed the infection on the filler.
He said it was important to remove the remaining 'gel' as soon as possible and after handing over another Dh1,000, Azarov said he began squeezing her lip to remove the filler.
"He was squeezing so hard he damaged the tissue inside my lip. I was left sore and bruised."
That night, Azarov became even more concerned as she was left with excess skin hanging from her upper lip.
On a third visit a few days later, Dr Moos's solution to the problem was simple.
"'We'll cut it away' he told me. But he cut away half my lip. I was left with a big hole."
A further Dh1,000 out of pocket, fashion stylist Azarov said she felt "like a monster".
Again, Azarov's lip became infected and after a second bout of antibiotics she returned to Dr Moos clinic to fill the gaping hole in her upper lip.
The problem, however, only worsened. "He suggested we remove fat from my stomach and inject it into my lip. After paying about Dh1,500, he injected the fat into my lip and stitched it up."
But later that day, the fat began oozing from the wound and a huge ulcer had developed on the inside of her cheek. Azarov began to panic.
"I went to the Emergency Room that night. The doctor was shocked when he saw me and informed me it would cost about Dh15,000 to repair the damage."
Azarov said she was reluctant to give his name as she thought he had just "made a mistake", when urged to reveal the identity of the doctor who performed the botched procedure.
"He had children so I didn't want to trouble him."
Following the hospital visit, Azarov made a final appointment with Dr Moos to have her stitches removed. She said he shoddily and "painfully" removed the stitches, which ultimately led to a third infection. "That's when I went online to find a doctor who could perform reconstructive surgery on me."
She said it was Dubai-based plastic surgeon, Dr Ashok Govila, and "the real Dr Steven Hopping" from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital in Dubai Health Care City who saved her life.
After performing several reconstructive surgeries in an attempt to make her lips "normal again", Azarov spent about Dh50,000 in total on the botched removal of the filler, and follow up surgeries.
"Today, my lips aren't perfect but they are a lot better than they used to be. I will never forget the way those doctors helped me. They were like my family and they performed some of the surgeries for free."
Shock revelation
About a year after her initial reconstructive surgery, Azarov was contacted by the Dubai Police and informed that Dr Moos was wanted by the FBI. The news sent a shiver down her spine.
"I nearly had a heart attack. I thought 'no, it cannot be'. They retrieved my information from his 'clinic' after raiding the villa."
Moos was struck off as a doctor in the US in 2004 and was not licensed by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
Following an undercover investigation by the DHA and Dubai Police after a tip off, Dr Moos was detained in 2010.
Shortly after, the disgraced doctor was sentenced to two months in jail in Dubai.
After being released from prison here, Dr Moos was deported back to the US and Azarov says the last she heard, he was in prison.
10 years after her initial dream of getting 'fuller lips' and eight years after crossing paths with Dr Steven Moos, Azarov says her message to others is simple.
"If you are born with a deformity or become disfigured following an accident then go for reconstructive surgery if that is what you want. But if you are born normal, please don't change anything about you."
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
Customers who purchase raffle tickets will automatically enter into one of the weekly electronic draws that will see three winners
uae19 hours ago
‘We’ve seen the world through a cracked windshield and every scratch tells a story’
uae1 day ago
The goal is for the Drone Box system to become the primary first response tool, effectively aiding emergencies and preserving law enforcement resources
uae1 day ago
In July 2021, the woman received a mysterious message from her husband's Facebook account that said he had lost his phone
uae1 day ago
The two leaders are also set to discuss responsible artificial intelligence development
uae1 day ago
The resolution is the first to be formally put forward by the Palestinian Authority since it gained additional rights and privileges this month
uae1 day ago
They view it as a pivotal move toward fostering inclusivity and diversity in corporate structures
uae1 day ago
The Ministry of Defence has outlined the eligibility criteria for interested candidates
uae1 day ago