Injuries Attributable to Cosmetic Procedures Performed by Unlicensed Individuals in the United States

Although only licensed professionals should be performing cosmetic procedures for patients, there are often news stories of unlicensed individuals performing procedures with serious consequences. This brief report seeks to determine the scope and magnitude of the problem by determining the number of cases of unlicensed procedures and determining the people, procedures, and states that are involved.

Various databases were used to find lawsuits and United States English-language news reports from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2013, which described cosmetic procedures performed by unlicensed individuals.

Twenty-eight unique cases were found. The three states with the highest number of cases were Florida (35.7%; n=10), Texas (14.3%; n=4), and California (10.7%; n=3). The type of procedures (n=28) performed were buttocks injections (n=1), face injections (n=7), laser facial procedures (n=2), liposuctions (n=4), and other cosmetic surgeries (n=4). The reported injuries (n=16) were hospitalization (n=8), death (n=4), amputation (n=1), burn (n=1), ptosis (n=1), and scar (n=1). Women and minorities appeared to be disproportionately affected by these illegal procedures.

This study likely only provides a small snapshot of a much larger problem, as many cases are presumably not taken to the news or courts. The availability of illegal cosmetic procedures can be diminished with complementary efforts carried out both by law enforcement and the communities themselves.

Full article at:  http://goo.gl/Ap0Txo

By:  Mayer JE1, Goldberg DJ2.

• 1Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland;
• 2Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York; Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists of NY/NJ, New York, New York; Fordham Law School, New York, New York. 

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