Is Beauty Really Something To Die For?

Athitiya Eiamyai, 33 was pronounced dead last
October 2, 2012 after she has been in coma for weeks

It is true that some women and even men would go to great lengths just to improve their looks. With so many treatments and procedures that range from the simple, the glamorous and to the downright ridiculous.  But do you really have to risk your life for the pursuit of beauty?

In the case of a Thai model who received filler injections to her buttocks to improve its shape and volume, it cost her no other but her own life. Athitiya Eiamyai, 33 was pronounced dead last October 2, 2012 after she has been in coma for weeks after receiving an illegal injectable filler to her buttocks.

Thanat Natveerakul also known as Dr. Pop, was the unlicensed clinician who administered the injections on a session scheduled last September 16. He then turned himself in and confessed that he was not licensed to perform the procedure. Authorities are reported to file criminal charges against Natveerakul.

Athitiya was hospitalized on September 18 and as she fell unconscious after her brain lacked oxygen for several minutes which led her to become comatose. Doctors reported that they were treating her for an inflamed brainstem, a part of the nervous system responsible for vital functions such as breathing, arousal and consciousness.

The swelling of her brain resulted to widespread damage because it was already impeding oxygen flow. With this the brain is restricted to perform its functions and it also ultimately resulted to the death of brain cells. 

This is not the first mortality in Thailand, and it is just one among the many cases related to unlicensed practice and unsafe materials.

Within the past year, more disheartening stories about unsafe practices have been reported. There was a case in South Florida where a woman was charged due because she was injecting patients with Fix-a-Flat to enhance their buttocks. This resulted to massive silicone migration in the body which placed the patients at risk for embolism.  A woman in Philadelphia was also charged with third degree murder after a patient experienced difficulty in breathing and chest pain after receiving injectable fillers to her buttocks which resulted to her death. And the latest was another death in Mississippi after another unlicensed practitioner injected a woman with so much silicone-like substance into her buttocks which caused blood clots to form in her lungs.

If you look at the reasons why these victims ended up with these serious to fatal consequences was because they were looking for cheaper alternatives. This is understandable considering the kind of economy that we have today. But as you search for more affordable procedures, never compromise your safety by settling for services from unlicensed practitioners.

Even though the procedure is quite simple, it is no excuse to entrust it to just anyone. First of all, with certified cosmetic surgeons or aesthetician you can also ensure that you will be treated with safe injectable fillers. Second, they are more knowledgeable about anatomy and they are better able to fashion the fillers in appropriate locations and in the right amounts for better results.

Always remember that you should never let the pursuit of beauty go to dangerous territories. Enjoy the results, rather than regret it, and that means you should carefully prepare for it.