Cosmetic procedures such as buttock enhancements, facelifts and breast augmentation are all reasonably common nowadays, and are generally safe, if they are performed by qualified, licensed cosmetic surgeons. Seeking a bargain is all well and good when you are shopping for new shoes, or perhaps a vacation, but it is not wise to skimp on procedures which involve having chemicals and substances injected into your body. In a case which clearly illustrated the dangers of cut-price cosmetic procedures, a Los Angeles beautician has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, and ordered to pay $125,000 in fines and restitution after being found guilty of administering unlicensed buttock enhancements to clients.
The lawsuit was brought against Ana Bertha Diaz Hernandez by a former client who suffered severe reactions and required further surgery after receiving buttock-enhancing injections at Hernandez’ Monterey Park premises. According to the suit, Hernandez illegally injected what she described as lamb’s fat into the buttocks of various clients, promising that it would contribute to a shapelier figure. The woman involved in this case visited Hernandez a total of five times in 2015, receiving these shots, as well as amino acid injections allegedly intended to remove stretch marks.
Several months after spending around $6,000 on these treatments, the woman began experiencing cramps, itchiness and swelling in her buttocks, as well as developing lumps in the area. This led to her seeking advice and, eventually, corrective surgery from a licensed practitioner in Columbia, where she had the product removed, underwent skin grafting to repair the damage, and spent over three weeks recovering in mid-2016.
Although it is not known for certain what Hernandez injected into her clients’, it is believed that it may have been silicone. Authorities confirmed that neither silicone, nor any lamb’s fat-related product, is licensed for use in buttock enhancements in the United States, nor does Hernandez hold any qualification or license for performing such a procedure.
U.S District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez sentenced Diaz to two years’ imprisonment, and ordered her to pay a $95,000 fine, plus $30,000 to the client.
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