I Couldn't Speak: Russian Women Nearly Disabled by Lip Augmentation

In pursuit of ideal beauty, women are sometimes willing to take risky actions, such as turning to an unverified cosmetologist who promises temptingly plump lips quickly and without questions. The victims of such procedures are featured in a new episode of the show «What Have I Done» (16+) on the Pyatnitsa TV channel, where they describe harsh consequences after injections of uncertified substances. One woman developed a large lump under her lip, while another lost her ability to speak.

Ksenia from Moscow is a blogger. She succumbed to the trend for large lips. She herself explained that it might have happened due to a lack of love. She always felt that she wasn«t good enough.

The girl didn«t turn to just any amateur, but to a cosmetologist from a reputable clinic in central Moscow. But that didn»t protect her. However, as Ksenia admits, for the first few years after the procedure, there were no health problems. She liked the effect of plump lips.

“What drug was used for the procedure, what method — I wasn«t concerned about that then. No one warned me about possible consequences or reactions. I liked everything. And very soon I became so accustomed to my new look that it seemed — my lips were too small. I needed more,” recalls Ksenia.

A year later, the girl went to enlarge her lips again. Severe consequences appeared much later, after seven years.

“A small blister first formed under my lip. And it gradually started to grow, grow, grow. It increased by a millimeter per year. I thought, well, it will pass. But it didn«t. Then constant inflammation of the mucosa began: it was impossible to drink hot tea, there was even a reaction to toothpastes. Pain appeared. Biting into an apple became a big problem,” the show»s heroine recounts.

As a result, Ksenia has been battling the consequences of unsuccessful cosmetology for 15 years. During this time, not only has bluishness formed around her lips, but she has also lost sensitivity — the girl can no longer distinguish hot from cold.

Ksenia went back to the same clinic, but there they didn«t remove all the material. As a result, her upper lip became deformed, and the hernia remained.

The consequences were even worse for the second victim of lip augmentation.

Aishat from Dagestan. In her homeland, a provocative appearance in girls is frowned upon. Nevertheless, local beauties follow cosmetic trends. Her work friends insisted on lip tuning: they convinced her that this harmless procedure would improve her appearance. And Aishat listened.

She went “for lips” together with a friend. And afterward, she learned from the same friend that they had been injected with an uncertified drug — medical vaseline. The girl immediately felt anxious; she understood that the consequences could be serious. She didn«t have to wait long for them.

“I didn«t want to believe it. And at first, I didn»t believe it, because initially, everything was fine with my lips,” recalls Aishat. “I felt that something was happening to my body, my temperature rose, weakness, constantly wanting to sleep, and severe swelling appeared.”

Doctors state that getting rid of vaseline is very difficult. It is literally a time bomb for the body. Removing the material is incredibly complex: it spreads, it is very toxic, and a tumor can form in its place.

“I had such swelling that I couldn«t even drink from a glass. I couldn»t speak,” says Aishat.

The surgeon, who eventually took on saving the girl, reported that he opened both of Aishat«s lips. The first results, where sensitivity returned, lasted only six months. Then the girl returned to the clinic again — the vaseline had grown.

“If the upper lip was in normal condition, then necrosis began on the lower one. If nothing is done, it will lead to the person being left without lips,” the doctor said.

What complicates Aishat«s situation is that her body reacts very aggressively to vaseline. Her lips continue to swell to the point of completely distorting her face. Only strong hormonal therapy helps cope with this, which cannot be overdone.

The girl had to undergo many operations, spend over half a million rubles (approximately $5,500 at current rates), but she hasn«t been able to completely get rid of the problem yet. She still faces a long recovery. Doctors suggest that a special Brazilian drug might help remove vaseline from the body. But nothing similar exists in Russia yet.

Doctors regularly have to deal with the consequences of unsuccessful lip augmentation. Medics find all sorts of things in their patients« tissues — from sunflower oil to live larvae. Therefore, doctors recommend thinking carefully before deciding on such procedures.