KUALA LUMPUR – The Aesthetic Public Awareness Campaign joint committee today warned the public against visiting unqualified beauty centres for medical aesthetic procedures, following a recent botched liposuction attempt that led to the death of a 23-year-old model.
The committee said there is a growing number of beauty centres promoting medical and surgical aesthetic procedures on publications and social media platforms.
“They may disguise themselves as ‘medical doctors’ or use fancy medical terms to entice clients to take up risky procedures.”
If the prices of the procedures sound too good to be true, it likely is, the committee said. These beauty centres offered lower prices than licensed medical clinics or hospitals.
“It is crucial to understand and check on the invasiveness, risk, premises licence and service provider qualification before undergoing any aesthetic procedure."
The committee said the public can get the list of registered practitioners who are licensed to offer medical aesthetic practice in the country, in accordance with their specialisation.
“If in doubt, contact the relevant authorities for confirmation.”
Last Saturday, Malaysian model Coco Siew Zhi Shing died after undergoing a liposuction procedure at a beauty salon in Sunway Velocity Mall, Cheras.
According to news reports, Siew, who was due to get married in South Africa next year, had signed up for a RM2,500 package to undergo liposuction for her arms at the popular beauty salon.
Arriving at the salon with a friend at 2.30pm that day, she received an anaesthetic injection, but became unresponsive and subsequently rushed to hospital where she was pronounced dead at 5pm.
It is understood that police had launched an investigation into the case after a 23-year-old beautician gave a statement.
Meanwhile, The Vibes spoke with a qualified aesthetic physician, who said beauty salons and spas are barred from conducting medical procedures.
Malaysia Society of Aesthetic Medicine treasurer and international scientific chair Dr Lim Ting Song said the procedure Siew took would cost a minimum of RM8,000, as it needed to be done in an operation theatre by a qualified plastic surgeon.
Dr Lim said there is a worrying trend of people seeking to have procedures done by unqualified individuals at beauty centres, hotels, and even at patients’ homes.
He added it was difficult to gauge the number of businesses operating without qualifications and certification.
“Sometimes, a business would indicate they are a clinic when they are not. This can be confusing,” he said, when contacted.
Another doctor, who declined to be named, said beauty salons are allowed to offer facials, not laser treatment, botox injections and liposuctions.
The doctor said the victim likely suffered respiratory failure as a result of toxicity from the applied anaesthetic.
“You must ensure the clinics offering such procedures had a qualified physician or specialist.”
Asked how such beauty salons could obtain the equipment and anaesthetic injections to conduct such procedures, the doctor said she is puzzled as they are controlled items.
“The authorities must look into this.” – The Vibes, October 20, 2020
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