Call for regulation of Northern Ireland cosmetic industry after near-death experience

Two women who were hospitalised after botched bum and hip filler procedures in the back of a hair salon have joined calls for proper regulation of Northern Ireland’s growing cosmetic industry.

Both women developed severe bacterial infections after the non-surgical procedures - which were carried out by the same beautician who had no medical qualifications.

Melissa Crawford was left unable to walk for weeks and is still physically and emotionally scarred after developing complications from a BBL.

She told UTV that at the time she was unhappy with how she looked and had considered going to Turkey for the procedure.

But she then saw a local woman advertising the procedure on social media and decided to book in with her - a decision she now regrets.

A few days after the procedure - which was carried out in the back room of a hair salon by a beautician with no medical qualifications - Melissa was hospitalised for seven days with a bacterial infection.

She said doctors told her that she would have probably died if she had she not sought medical help when she did.

"They were really, really concerned and they said my infection markers were really high, that I was borderline septic, and that they needed to keep an eye on me and that I definitely needed surgery," she said.

She added: "I never thought this would happen to me. Like it's Northern Ireland, things like this don't happen.

"And then I was like, if I had died, who would've looked after my children?"

Melissa underwent her procedure in May 2024. Seven months later, the same beautician, who Melissa told about the medical complications she had developed, carried out a similar procedure on another woman.

The woman - who asked to remain anonymous - decided to have hip fillers as she did not like the shape of her body.

She became unwell the following day and contacted the beautician for advice.

She said the beautician gave her a box of antibiotics from Turkey.

A few days later she said she became so ill that she went to the Emergency Department and was admitted to hospital with sepsis and cellulitis.

She told UTV the doctor contacted the beautician to ask who prescribed her the filler she had used for the procedure and the beautician said it was from Turkey.

Both women have shared their experiences as a warning to others about the dangers of an unregulated industry.

The Department of Health has told UTV there are currently no plans to introduce mandatory licensing for non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

It said that “any future review of regulation is contingent on available resources within the department".

It added: “The risk to public safety posed by the unlawful distribution and misuse of unauthorised medicinal products within the non-surgical cosmetic sector in NI is a serious issue.

“The department continues to take decisive action to combat illegal promotion, supply or misuse of medicines and to alerting the public about the dangers of using unauthorised medicines outside of the regulated supply chain.

“We remain vigilant and continue to work with key partner agencies to monitor the illicit marketplace and will continue to take effective action where necessary to protect public safety in Northern Ireland.”

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