‘I save lives after horror surgical procedures – Brit mum’s BBL loss of life is closing straw’

The death of a beloved mum-of-five who is the first Briton to die from a liquid Brazilian Butt Lift procedure has sparked fury among those in the industry.

One expert clinician has branded the Government as ‘complicit’ in the tragic death, while others have called on politicians to introduce an immediate ban. Alice Delsie Preete Webb, 33, died on Monday after undergoing the celebrity-style enhancement, which has increasingly been endorsed online by social media influencers.

Unlike the surgical operation, liquid BBLs involve injecting hyaluronic acid and dermal fillers into the backside – with it taking as little as 60 minutes. The Mirror understands Alice’s treatment was allegedly performed by an unqualified practitioner without medical training.

Detectives from Gloucestershire Police are investigating her sudden death and have arrested two people. Kate Ross, clinical director and lead aesthetic nurse of The Clinic by LA Ross, sees time and time again women walk through her door in utter distress following cosmetic procedures that have gone wrong, largely after travelling abroad.

Over the past year, Kent-based Kate has seen roughly 17 patients a week who have had botched surgeries – and helps them with things like wound management and medication. Around 90 per cent have had enhancements in Turkey and 90 per cent are left with complications including sepsis.

“Yesterday we saw the first of what we know will be many deaths as a result of dangerous procedures being conducted by untrained, non-medical practitioners,” Kate told the Mirror. “Just that morning I was reading a post about a patient sharing her journey in A&E after having liposuction in someone’s kitchen with a phlegm suction machine bought online and later that afternoon I was reading this.

“Every time I have commented on this topic, I have been met by hostility from the non-medical community, but today is yet another example why this message needs to be said, loud and clear: stop!” The mum-of-one transformed her CQC-regulated clinic, which also offers wellness checks and private GP appointments, after seeing the trauma of people returning from surgery abroad during shifts at an NHS hospital.

Kate’s services were offered pro bono from last May, but it has recently been too much to sustain. She added: “All medical procedures carry risks, whether those procedures are surgical or non-surgical each one requires the same allocation of assessment, consultation and reflection, as each one has the power to change the course of someone’s life- or end it.”

Liquid BBLs and similar procedures are listed online for £2,500 a time. Some clinics warn there is a risk of adverse reactions associated with synthetic fillers used in butt injections, which can include allergic reactions. However the complications can be much more serious.

The liquid BBL trend is growing, as from December 2023 to March 2024, more than 150 people complained about their procedures to Save Face – a government-approved register for aesthetic practitioners. Before then, back in 2022, the register had just a handful of complaints.

More than 60 per cent of Save Face complainants suffered from an infection, just over half experienced life-threatening sepsis, 32 per cent noted an abscess and almost 40 per cent experienced migration, according to their report, which states that patients reported multiple complications.

Kate continued: “Non-surgical BBLs are endorsed as a safe and quick way to add curves to the hips and bum and endorsed by influencers all over social media. But this procedure which is termed as safe is far from it – with statistics suggesting more than 50 per cent of patients face serious risks and end up in hospital.

“Aside from risks such Sepsis, nodule formation, migration of the filler from the area of injection, there have also been isolated cases of death associated with the use of dermal fillers for butt augmentation across the globe and today the UK saw its first victim. The most common cause is an embolism, which happens when the filler is accidentally injected into the bloodstream, causing a blockage that impedes good blood circulation to major organs.

“Organisations such as Save Face have been campaigning hard to ban such treatments to no avail. Let’s hope on a sad day like today we act and put a stop before more people lose their lives.”

Dr Natalie Haworth, clinical director of The Doctor and Company, told the Mirror that the government is “complicit in this woman’s death”, adding: “Their lack of action is negligent. Medical professionals have warned them time and time again that allowing anybody to carry out medical procedures would result in death and they have chosen to ignore it.”

She added: “They have proven with the XL bully laws that they have the capability to legislate with speed, so why isn’t stopping this chaos a priority?” Dr Alison Colville, founder of The Avery Clinic, also said they fight daily for change in regulations to stop unregulated, untrained, and unsafe injectors from practising legally in the UK.

“Having practised in Australia and worked with US practitioners, we remain the only country where anyone can train to inject after a weekend course,” the doctor highlighted. “The only good to come out of this would be that the government take urgent action to protect the lives of vulnerable people throughout the UK.”

In 2019, Melissa Kerr, from Gorleston, in Norfolk, died at a private hospital in Istanbul while undergoing a surgical BBL. A fatal clot travelled to her lungs after fat taken during a liposuction procedure was injected into her buttocks. BBLs – both surgical and non-surgical – carry the highest risk of all cosmetic surgeries – with more than one death occurring per 4,000 procedures.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with Ms Webb’s family and friends in this tragic case. This is a live police investigation and so it would be inappropriate to comment on this specific case.

“However, the safety of patients is paramount, and we would urge anyone considering a cosmetic procedure to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured, and qualified practitioner. We are exploring options around regulatory oversight of the non-surgical cosmetics sector and will provide an update in due course.”