Complications after silicone injection to create 'Buddha ears' and 'spindle hands'

Ho Chi Minh City: The 46-year-old woman's ears and hands were swollen and painful after several months of injecting "artificial fat" to have long earlobes like "Buddha's ears" and bamboo shoot hands.

The patient, who lives in Da Nang, said that he saw his friend inject artificial fat to create "Buddha ears" so he followed suit and injected many other areas of his body. Afterwards, the injected area became hard, swollen, red, purple, and "painful to the point of brain damage" when touched.

The local medical facility performed an aspiration but the condition did not improve, so she went to Ho Chi Minh City with two swollen ears, an abscessed chin, swelling, and large, bruised hands. "Wherever I went, I covered my hands, feet, and ears because they were getting more and more swollen and deformed," the patient said.

The patient's hand was deformed and swollen. Photo: Provided by the hospital — The patient's hand was deformed and swollen. Photo: *Provided by the hospital*

On June 30, Dr. Nguyen Phan Tu Dung, Director of JW Hospital, said that the spa compound injected into the patient was not artificial fat but liquid silicone, a substance banned by the Ministry of Health for use in beauty treatments. The team had to scrape off all the liquid silicone that had seeped into the muscle tissue to avoid a worsening condition that could cause infection and necrosis, requiring ear amputation.

"Silicon curettage is one of the most unpredictable techniques because it is unclear where it has penetrated and where it has penetrated," said Dr. Tu Dung.

Fortunately, after nearly a month of treatment, the patient returned for a check-up with his ears almost completely improved, no more swelling or pain, feeling "like he was reborn, freed from his inferiority complex".

The patient's ear was swollen, purple, deformed (left) and recovered later (right). Photo: Provided by the hospital — The patient's ear was swollen, purple, deformed (left) and recovered later (right). Photo: *Provided by the hospital*

Doctors recommend that many people are currently injecting fillers and artificial fat to create "Buddha ears" in the hope of changing their fortunes and becoming rich, but they need to be careful because the ears are vulnerable. If too much filler is injected, the wrong technique will cause many complications.

"In particular, note that there is no such thing as artificial fat," the doctor said, adding that this is just an advertising trick of "underground" spas, deceiving victims by injecting liquid silicone, which has been banned by authorities.

In addition, any invasive technique must be carried out under sterile conditions, performed by qualified, experienced medical staff, at a licensed facility. Therefore, when you have a need for beauty, you need to choose a reputable cosmetic facility, licensed to perform the cosmetic procedure you need.

Le Phuong

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